CJ McCollum threw up one of the ugliest bricks of the season Monday with the game on the line against the Detroit Pistons.
The Washington Wizards veteran was in the midst of a vintage performance on the road at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich. McCollum and Pistons star Cade Cunningham both hit the 40-point mark as the game went into overtime.
McCollum apparently just had enough gas left in the tank for 48 minutes. The 34-year-old went 1/5 in the overtime period, capped off by the ugliest miss of the season on a potential game-winner. McCollum hit the side of the backboard on a great look for three as his Wizards trailed 137-135 with under 10 seconds left on the clock.
GAME ON THE LINE YOU HIT THE BACKBOARD???
CJ MCCOLLUM BE GONEpic.twitter.com/NZScQNHA2f
— WizardsMuse (@WizardsMuse1) November 11, 2025
Pistons guard Javonte Green made it difficult for McCollum with a last-second contest. But it’s hard to defend just how ugly McCollum’s miss was, particularly after such a high-scoring performance. The bricked game-winner was also broadcast on NBC for the world to see.
Cunningham led all scorers with 46 points on a ridiculous 14/45 shooting clip. His 45 shot attempts are the most taken against the Wizards franchise since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964. McCollum finished with 42 points on 14/25 shooting from the field and 5/10 from beyond the arc, but had his throwback performance end in the most bitter way imaginable.
The Pistons, who hold the best record in the Eastern Conference, came into the game as the heavy favorites against a 1-9 Wizards team. While Detroit was a McCollum three-pointer away from a loss, the home team still got the victory to extend its current winning streak to seven games.
