The New Orleans Pelicans players are having a bad fortune in the NBA. Multiple players have been unavailable for them, which does not enable them to fully utilize their roster potential. Following medical imaging on Sunday morning, the New Orleans Pelicans revealed that CJ McCollum had been diagnosed with a tiny collapsed right lung.
For those interested in the medical aspect of his injury, when air seeps into the area between your lung and chest wall, you get a pneumothorax. The air presses on the exterior of the lung, causing it to collapse. Unfortunately for McCollum, he suffered from a similar condition. After going through a similar event in December 2021, McCollum, 32, was able to resume his game in around six weeks.
🚨 UPDATE: Medical imaging has showed positive healing for CJ McCollum, per team.
The Pelicans will re-evaluate CJ at a later date. https://t.co/NSEFPDTNbm
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 8, 2023
The Pelicans’ point guard is the team’s second-leading scorer through six games. He averaged 21.7 points with 5.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds. The Pelicans appear weak on the court when their two best players, CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson, are not there. The Timberwolves prevailed 122-101 over the Pelicans.
Karl-Anthony Towns (23 points) and Rudy Gobert (17 points, 20 rebounds) teamed for a game-high 40 points, with Anthony Edwards leading the Timberwolves with 26 points and 8 assists. In the Pelicans’ defeat, Brandon Ingram scored a team-high 24 points and dished six assists.
CJ McCollum shows positive healing but is still unavailable indefinitely
McCollum was reexamined on Tuesday after receiving a diagnosis on Sunday of a partly collapsed right lung. A team report said that good healing was shown on medical imaging. His availability, though, is still unknown. “Medical imaging showed positive healing. He will be re-evaluated at a later date, and further updates will be announced when available,” read the report.
Another player who has been out for a while due to injuries is point guard Jose Alvarado. With Jose Alvarado and swingman Trey Murphy still to play this season, New Orleans was already lacking in depth in the backcourt. Due to injuries, neither was able to work on Wednesday’s match.
Zion Williamson is reportedly not injured, but he is absent because of a private situation. It is known that he is expecting a daughter this month. The return of these two key players, along with Zion, can give the Pelicans a real shot at the championship.