According to an announcement from the Portland Trail Blazers, point guard CJ McCollum did not travel with the team to San Francisco for their game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.
This is a tough counterattack for a team that has lost six of its last seven games and no longer has Damian Lillard (lower abs). Lillard has already missed the previous four games and is expected to miss more.
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Here’s everything we know about McCollum’s injury from the team’s announcement:
What is CJ McCollum’s injury?
According to the team’s official statement, McCollum did not travel with the team after a CT scan revealed that the guard has a pneumothorax (collapsed right lung).
Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum did not travel with the team to San Francisco after a CT scan revealed he has a pneumothorax (right lung).
– Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) December 8, 2023
It was an injury he sustained in the fourth quarter of the Trail Blazers’ 145-117 loss to the Celtics on Dec. 4. After that injury, he was left out of the team’s December 6 game against the LA Clippers.
What is pneumothorax?
According to Casey Holdahl, the team’s rhythm writer and insider who quotes john hopkins people, while providing insight into the injury: “Pneumothorax is air around or outside the lung. It can be the result of trauma to the chest (and / or) excess pressure on the lungs.”
How long will CJ McCollum be out?
At the time of the announcement, it was unknown how long CJ McCollum will be out. The team release only indicates that the guard’s status will be updated after it “will be further evaluated before a forecast is determined.”
What is CJ McCollum’s injury history?
Before the guard’s left foot injury last season, McCollum was a fairly long-lasting player. Over a five-year period from 2014 to 2019, he only missed 21 games.
It remains to be seen how this collapsed right lung would affect his durability for a player who recently turned 30.
What are the stats for CJ McCollum 2023-22?
Before missing the team competition against the Clippers, McCollum had played all of the team’s 24 games with averages of 20.6 points, 4.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds on shooting of 42.4 / 39.3 / 70.0.
Overall, the league has seen a drop in offensive efficiency, but McCollum’s 20.6 points are the lowest he has averaged since the 2014-15 season and his field goal percentage is the lowest since his rookie year.