NEW ORLEANS (AP) — CJ McCollum highlighted a career high-tying 50 points with 10 3-pointers, and the New Orleans Pelicans snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 132-120 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night.
Trey Murphy scored 17 and rookie center Yves Missi had 12 point and 11 rebounds for New Orleans, which won for just the second time in 22 games.
The Pelicans have the NBA’s worst record at 6-29, but now share with Washington (6-26) the dubious distinction of having the fewest victories in the league.
New Orleans was playing at home for the first time since a deadly New Year’s Day attack in the French Quarter, and a moment of silence was held before tipoff.
Jordan Poole scored 24 points for the Wizards but was affected by a hard fall under the basket with 4:38 left in the third quarter. He scored just five more points after the fall, which sent him to the locker room briefly for treatment for lower back soreness.
Rookie center Alexandre Sarr scored 19 for Washington.
Wizards: The Wizards scored a season-high 72 points in the paint, only to have it virtually negated by shaky outside shooting and porous defense that allowed New Orleans a season high in points.
Pelicans: New Orleans benefitted from the return from injury (right hamstring strain) of reserve guard Jose Alvarado, who contributed 5 points, 3 assists and 3 steals in 20 minutes after missing 23 games.
McCollum had his toe on the 3-point line when he hit a 21-foot jumper to give New Orleans a 128-111 lead. It was initially ruled a 3, which would have given him a career high in points and tied his franchise high of 11 made 3s. But it was reduced to a 2-point shot on video review.
The Pelicans tied a season high with 18 made 3s, going 18 of 41.
The Pelicans visit the Wizards on Sunday night.
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