Ahh the old revenge game narrative. CJ McCollum faces off vs his old team for the first time since the trade. CJ may be pretty thankful for the trade now that heās in a spot to battle for the playoffs, but I still think he will show his old squad what theyāre missing.
We must factor in that Ingram is back in the lineup. Oddly enough, I prefer that. The defense wonāt be able to focus solely on McCollum and BI has developed into quite the passer this year and should only help to get him open looks. So far, the duo has played 11 games together. Iām those 11, CJ has averaged 25.4 points. He has gone over 22.5 in 7/11, over 25 in 4/11, and over 30 in 4/11. I really like his value up the ladder tonight so Iāll be going that route in this matchup.
I likely donāt have to tell you much about Portlands defense. They have been terrible, and have just gotten worse as the season continues. They are 28th in points allowed, 29th in 3 pointers allowed, 28th in free throws allowed, and 29th in defensive efficiency. They donāt have anyone who can slow down McCollum. While the big spread is a bit scary, the Pelicans will want to ensure they win this one. They are currently the 9 seed in the West and looking to lock in their spot in the playin tourney. I love this spot for CJ vs his old team.
