The Portland Trail Blazers, largely thanks to the work of C.J. McCollum, have managed to tread water with a 2-2 record sans injured All-Star point guard Damian Lillard.
McCollum put up 35 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in Sunday night’s 98-94 road win in Sacramento.
DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings with 36 points and six boards.
Per the AP:
No Blazers player in the past 29 years had put up numbers similar to McCollum’s near triple-double. Clyde Drexler had at least 34 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists on five occasions. […] “C.J. worked very hard his first two years here. But he learned the NBA game and put in a lot of time to have the type of success he is having right now,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.
A shooting guard most of the season, McCallum has moved over to the point the past four games in the absence of injured All-Star Damian Lillard. McCollum did a little of everything against the Kings, making 14 of 28 shots, directing the offense and also picking up four steals and a block. […] McCallum entered the game averaging 20 points and was shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point territory. His 35 points were two short of his career high.
DeMarcus Cousins had 36 points and six rebounds for the Kings. Omri Casspi had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo finished with nine points and 15 assists. But Rondo also committed eight of the Kings’ 23 turnovers that led to 28 Portland points. […] (Kings coach George) Karl was denied his 1,155th victory, which would have tied him with Phil Jackson for fifth place on the career list. “On our home court, fundamentally, we gave up the turnovers and the rebound. That’s a nightmare,” said Karl, who ended his press conference quickly and departed with, “I’m done. I’m frustrated.”
