The New Orleans Pelicans know they are playing with fire despite having control over their NBA Playoffs fate. They have dropped double-digit leads in losses and have yet to mount a fourth-quarter comeback. Sure, not all losses are equal in the moment but they all count the same in the end-of-season standings. Asserting otherwise is a risk when asking CJ McCollum about the Pelicans' “bad loss” following a bounce-back win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Pelicans were ‘soft' against the Phoenix Suns at home per Willie Green. Zion Williamson's frustration boiled over in a subsequent loss to the Orlando Magic. New Orleans then closed out a 1-5 homestand by letting Victor Wembanyama walk out of the Smoothie King Center with a rare road victory. It was not an opportune time to go on a downswing but only the locker room knows exactly what went right or wrong with any particular game plan.
McCollum reminded one reporter of that after a 110-110 road win over the Trail Blazers. The well-respected veteran started pulling the microphone closer midway through a question about losing to the San Antonio Spurs. He corrected how a recent loss should be categorized before explaining the regular season is about long-term processes, not short-term results.
The former Portland star pulled no punches in his reply to a query about a “bad game” against Wembanyama's Spurs.
“Who said it was a bad game? We just lost,” McCollum stated firmly. “I think for (the Pelicans) it's about execution, it's about preparation. You're not going to win every game. You're going to have games where you lose against teams where you should have won. You're going to beat some teams where you probably should have lost. I think for us it is about moving forward. It's about understanding what is in front of us and turning the page.”
“We got a win tonight, but now we've got to turn the page and get ready for another team (Sacramento Kings). I thought (versus the Spurs) was a bad loss, but I did not think it was a bad game,” McCollum continued. “I thought we played hard, we competed. There were some moments in the game where we could have probably taken better advantage of but I think you learn from your losses. You learn from your mistakes. I think that character is about how you respond to adversity, not through success. It's about how you respond to games that do not go your way.”
McCollum's scoring helps the Pelicans respond well
The NBPA president and self-proclaimed professional scorer has been producing at a near NBA All-Star level for a decade. McCollum has seen and heard it all but felt a need to correct that one point. He brushed off the question well after helping the Pelicans respond to a pitiful 1-5 homestand. McCollum also had some backup on the postgame podium but it was unnecessary.
The former Trail Blazer and Trey Murphy III shared the postgame podium after the most recent Pelicans win. It was only appropriate after the duo combined for 60 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Zion Williamson added 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block in a pivotal bounce-back win that lifted New Orleans back into sixth place.
“I've been playing basketball for a long time. I've been in the (NBA) for a long time and I've been asked to do different stuff throughout my career,” McCollum shared. “The thing that has been a constant is scoring. That's something I've been able to do since high school. Then there is the spacing, the play calling, the aggressiveness. It's always there. It's just a matter of taking advantage of opportunities. I think for me, it's about understanding the moment.”
Anyone following the Pelicans now understands this locker room categorizes losses differently than those outside the building. Were there bad games over the last four months? Obviously. Was every loss to a team with a worse record a bad game? No, of course not. Sometimes Ja Morant, Devin Booker, and Victor Wembanyama happen to pick dates against New Orleans to show off their All-World talents.
This locker room does not get hung up on poor phrasing or unfortunate defeats. No, these Pelicans are more worried about being the last team standing once the postseason begins.
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