On his eponymous podcast, CJ McCollum presented a theory for why the New Orleans Pelicans stumbled in the first two months of 2023. Injuries piled up, McCollum said, and one side effect was that it became difficult for the Pelicans to work on their flaws in practice.
“What can you actually address when you don’t have bodies?” McCollum said. “There are a lot of things that the average fan doesn’t truly understand. ‘Why aren’t you better at these things?’ Well, how can you practice these things when you play a game every other day? You can’t. How can you practice these things when you have injuries that not only decimate the roster but affect how you practice? If you don’t have bodies, you can’t do certain stuff.”
Pelicans players have combined to miss 245 games because of injuries this season, according to Man-Games Lost, the third-highest mark of any NBA team. Zion Williamson, who has not played since injuring his hamstring Jan. 2, has missed 47 games. Brandon Ingram, who was out two months with a left toe contusion, has missed 37 games.
The list goes on and on.
“You have seen our injury report at times throughout the year,” McCollum said. “Jose (Alvarado) is hurt. Herb (Jones) has been hurt. Dyson (Daniels) has been hurt. Larry (Nance Jr.) was hurt. B.I. Zion. So that’s, like, seven guys. How many guys do we have left to practice?”
The injury-ravaged Pelicans lost 10 straight games at one point, a streak that caused them to tumble down the Western Conference standings. They have corrected some of their issues in the past two weeks by winning five of six games. With only six regular-season games remaining entering Thursday, they are in a fight to be a part of the postseason picture. Ninth-place New Orleans (38-38) has a half-game lead over the 10th-place Oklahoma City Thunder (38-39) and a 1½-game lead over the 11th-place Dallas Mavericks (37-40).
“We’re the type of team where we are young,” McCollum said. “Execution is important. Going over game-plan execution live is important. But also being able to walk through it and then go over it live is important.
“Lately, we have been able to do more of that. More guys have been available to practice. More guys haven’t been injured. I think obviously we have played better.”
Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George recently theorized on JJ Redick’s podcast that the lack of intense practices throughout an NBA season contributes to players missing games. George said it is difficult on player’s bodies to vacillate from exerting little energy one day to a lot of energy the next day.
“I think now teams don’t really practice,” George said. “We’re not getting up and down. It’s a lost art when it comes to that hard practicing. I think that’s why there are so many injuries. Guys will have a high load day. Then a completely off day. Then a high load day.”
Former Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy was not a fan of the Pelicans medical staff’s approach to player performance and care. Van Gundy felt the team was too cautious. Van Gundy, who believed that rigorous practices held value, was often frustrated that the Pelicans did not practice enough. (It didn’t help that Van Gundy’s one season in charge was during the height of the pandemic, when congregating anywhere was complicated.)
Van Gundy, who is a color commentator for TNT now, broached the Pelicans’ injury issues during Tuesday’s game between the Pelicans and Golden State Warriors.
“The Pelicans have to figure out what they’re doing wrong that they can’t keep their players healthy,” he said.
McCollum is one of New Orleans’ more durable players. He will cross the 70-games played threshold on Thursday.
McCollum is an NBA player who is willing to play through discomfort. He is dealing with a ligament injury on his right hand that will require surgery at the end of the season. McCollum also credits his availability to understanding how to take care of his body.
“I personally like to do a little something every day,” McCollum said. “Very rarely do I have a complete off day.”
“I’ve talked to a lot of veterans across the league as we kind of see ways to get more participation from players and less injuries. One of the things a lot of the older players have said is they like to take advantage of their off days by doing mobility or activity because it keeps everything firing properly.”
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