In a performance that can only be described as a flamethrower taking on a box of matches, CJ McCollum absolutely torched the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night, dropping a season-high 46 points in a dominant 132-113 victory for the Wizards.
Let’s be honest, watching the Wizards this season hasn’t always been the most thrilling experience. But every now and then, a player decides to put the team on his back and deliver a performance for the ages. On Tuesday, that player was McCollum.
McCollum Was In a Different Zone
From the opening tip, McCollum was playing a different sport than everyone else on the court. He came out of the gate looking like he couldn’t miss if he tried, nailing his first four three-point attempts in the first quarter alone. The Hawks’ defense, which looked like it had taken the night off to catch an early dinner, had no answer. Every time they gave him an inch of space, he made them pay, sinking shot after shot and leaving the Atlanta bench in stunned silence.
By halftime, the stat sheet was already absurd: 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting. It was the kind of performance that makes you check if the game difficulty was accidentally set to “Rookie.” But this wasn’t a video game; it was a veteran guard reminding the league just how explosive he can be.
Tying a Franchise Record In Style
As the game wore on, McCollum didn’t cool off. He just kept shooting. He finished the night with an incredible 10 three-pointers, tying the Wizards‘ franchise record for most threes in a single game. It was a masterclass in offensive basketball, a beautiful display of shooting that had the home crowd on its feet and Hawks fans heading for the exits.
This wasn’t just a one-off fluke, either. This was McCollum’s second 40+ point game in just 17 appearances this season. While the Wizards have had their struggles, McCollum has been a consistent bright spot, a scoring machine capable of erupting at any moment.
For the Hawks, it was a night to forget. They came into the game on a high, but their lack of effort from the start doomed them. They looked disengaged, fell behind early, and never recovered. While basketball is a team sport, on Tuesday night, it felt like McCollum versus the world—and McCollum won, decisively.
