Blazers guard CJ McCollum hit the game-sealing free throws for Portland on Tuesday, and made it look easy … considering he reportedly did so with a fractured back.
Per Dwight Jaynes of NBC Sports Northwest, McCollum “has been playing with a L3 vertebral transverse process fracture (non-displaced)” since last Thursday, weathering the effects through three games thus far.
CJ McCollum is playing with a fractured back, hits clutch FTshttps://t.co/5judBBKYcE pic.twitter.com/QHGj0C7v76
— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) August 12, 2020
Tuesday’s 134-131 victory propelled the Blazers into 8th place in the Western Conference, and if they win their final seeding game, they’re guaranteed to hold that spot heading into the Western Conference Play-In. From there, a single victory in two attempts would earn a playoff berth; losing twice to the No. 9 seed would result in an early exit.
McCollum, who finished 2-of-14 from the field (8 points), has averaged 22.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 36.4 minutes this season.
