As the Blazers prepare for their rematch with the Mavericks in Dallas, six days after their last meeting, CJ McCollum weighs in on the confrontation between Salah Mejri and Jusuf Nurkic.
Mejri was not assessed any sort of penalty for what appeared to be a flop in the final minutes of Saturday's contest.
McCollum responds on Rip City Mornings with Dan Sheldon and Nigel Burton:
"He, for sure, should have received a warning or been fined but I think they’re not televising it. They’re not putting it out there for the fans to see. I think that they’re secretly fining people and going about it in a different way so that you’re not necessarily as aware of it as you were in the past."
"Players are gonna flop. Players are going to take advantage of certain situations to try to manipulate calls. It’s just the way it is. It’s up to our officials in the NBA to continue to find it, see it, search it out, and make a statement."
The NBA created a penalty structure for flopping six seasons ago but there is no record of any penalties being administered this season. If the league has taken the issue "underground," that's news to me.
I haven't seen that change in approach reported anywhere else this season.
McCollum also told us he hasn't been approached about competing in the 3 point shootout at All-Star Weekend but would take part, if asked.
He came up with practice routines for himself leading up to the contest in the past but, after early round departures the last two years, don't expect him to sweat it the 3rd time around:
It doesn’t get any worse than what I’ve done in the past. I think that just going to shoot is probably my best bet. Instead of preparing and trying to do all that stuff, I’m just going to go shoot. And if I don’t get invited, I’ll just enjoy my vacation.