CJ McCollum is going to want this one back.
With 5.8 seconds remaining and the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings tied at 127 apiece at Smoothie King Center on Thursday night, McCollum caught a pass under his own basket. He sprinted up the floor, crossing up Kings guard Keon Ellis several times.
Once McCollum reached the perimeter, he was met by three Kings defenders—who let the Pelicans veteran dribble through all of them for a wide-open look at a potential game-winning floater from inside the free-throw line.
The only problem? He missed it.
McCollum misses the potential game-winner 😳
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 14, 2025
We're going to OT in New Orleans 🍿 pic.twitter.com/znsUUvgPnl
It's hard to get a better look at a game-winner than that.
Of course, all is well that ends well. McCollum and the Pelicans went on to outscore Sacramento 13–6 in overtime to secure a 140–133 win—their 13th of the season. McCollum scored 11 of New Orleans' 13 points in overtime and finished with a game-high 43 points on 16-of-25 shooting.
The Pelicans return to the floor Friday night to visit the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as CJ McCollum Missed Perhaps the Easiest Game-Winning Shot Attempt of 2024-25 Season.
