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Player Profile: CJ McCollum

After a forgettable first two games in the series with Memphis, McCollum flipped the switch in the final three contests. In Games 3-5, he led all players in the series with 25.7 points per game (28-46 FG, 11-17 3PT). In the Game 5 finale, albeit in a losing effort, McCollum set Trail Blazers franchise playoff records for 3-pointers in a game (seven) and points off the bench (33).

While the scoring outburst on a national stage opened many eyes, it sure didn’t surprise McCollum. Over the course of his first two seasons, the combo guard has been a bit of a broken record, repeatedly saying all he needed was an opportunity. When a midseason trade brought in veteran Arron Afflalo and forced McCollum out of the rotation, the opportunity didn’t appear to be coming this season. That was until Wesley Matthews went down with a torn Achilles on March 5th.

Prior to Matthews’ injury, McCollum played in 41 games, averaging a pedestrian 3.3 points and 12.3 minutes, attempting 4.3 field goals per game (39% FG) and shooting just 38% on two-point field goals. With a Matthews-Afflalo-Batum rotation blooming on the wing, McCollum was moving closer to the end of the bench.

The limited minutes forced McCollum to press when he did get on the court. “I was trying to play perfect basketball and not make any mistakes – and that’s just not my game,” he said. “I decided to simplify my game by making one decision and sticking with it. I was either going to go out swinging my way, or hit a home run playing my way.”

And when that opportunity arose, playing ‘his way’ appeared to work. In 21 regular season games following Matthews’ injury, McCollum surged, averaging 10.9 points and 22.3 minutes. He hoisted nine field goal attempts per game, connecting on 48% of them, including 52% inside the arc. His signature scoring came in bunches, reaching double figures in seven consecutive late-season games. The scoring streak was bookended by a 27-point performance in Los Angeles against the Lakers and a 26-point outing against the Utah Jazz in the regular season home finale.

McCollum rebounded from a sprained ankle in the second-to-last game of the regular season, going on to average 17.0 points on 13.4 field goal attempts and 33.2 minutes in his breakout series against Memphis. While Portland's season didn't necessarily end on a high note, McCollum's emergence gave Trail Blazers fans newfound excitement about the kid from Canton, Ohio.