The Milwaukee Bucks have put a slow start behind them and are playing some of their best basketball of the season. They'll face another team that is playing better of late when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.

Milwaukee Bucks (24-17, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (12-32, 14th in the Western Conference) New Orleans; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans hosts the Milwaukee Bucks after CJ McCollum scored 45 points in the New Orleans Pelicans' 123-119 overtime win over the Utah Jazz.

McCollum has shouldered more of the scoring load in games the Pelicans have been without Zion Williamson. He is averaging 30.6 points in January in the seven games Williamson has missed. McCollum is averaging just 13 points in the four games Williamson also played.

The Milwaukee Bucks have put a slow start behind ... Lillard was a teammate of Pelicans guard CJ McCollum for 8 1/2 seasons (2013-22) in Portland, and McCollum is coming off a significant ...

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans hosts the Milwaukee Bucks after CJ McCollum scored 45 points in the New Orleans Pelicans' 123-119 overtime win over the Utah Jazz. The Pelicans are 8-16 on their home court.

The Pelicans trailed by 25 points before rallying, mostly behind McCollum, to win their fourth straight and seventh in the last 10. It's been an incredible midseason turnaround for New Orleans, which has gone 12-32 while battling through a rash of key injuries and illnesses.

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Hall of Fame former NBA shooting guard/small forward Vince Carter — who currently is tied with 21-time All-Star Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James for the most seasons played in the history of the league with 22 — likes what he's seen out of young Portland Trail Blazers point guard Anfernee Simons this season.

CJ McCollum would much rather have written this chapter of the New Orleans Pelicans' record book in a victory.

New Orleans will try to stop its four-game losing streak when the New Orleans Pelicans play Boston. The teams play Friday for the first time this season.

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While Williamson is an obvious trade chip given his injury history, selling the rest of the squad in favor of young talents, expiring contracts and draft capital could help them pivot to a rebuild.