McCollum's 50 points helps the Pelicans snap an 11-game skid with a 132-120 win over the Wizards

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — CJ McCollum highlighted a career high-tying 50 points with 10 3-pointers, and the New Orleans Pelicans snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 132-120 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night.

Trey Murphy scored 17 and rookie center Yves Missi had 12 point and 11 rebounds for New Orleans, which won for just the second time in 22 games.

The Pelicans have the NBA's worst record at 6-29, but now share with Washington (6-26) the dubious distinction of having the fewest victories in the league.

New Orleans was playing at home for the first time since a deadly New Year’s Day attack in the French Quarter, and a moment of silence was held before tipoff.

Jordan Poole scored 24 points for the Wizards but was affected by a hard fall under the basket with 4:38 left in the third quarter. He scored just five more points after the fall, which sent him to the locker room briefly for treatment for lower back soreness.

Rookie center Alexandre Sarr scored 19 for Washington.

Wizards: The Wizards scored a season-high 72 points in the paint, only to have it virtually negated by shaky outside shooting and porous defense that allowed New Orleans a season high in points.

Pelicans: New Orleans benefitted from the return from injury (right hamstring strain) of reserve guard Jose Alvarado, who contributed 5 points, 3 assists and 3 steals in 20 minutes after missing 23 games.

McCollum had his toe on the 3-point line when he hit a 21-foot jumper to give New Orleans a 128-111 lead. It was initially ruled a 3, which would have given him a career high in points and tied his franchise high of 11 made 3s. But it was reduced to a 2-point shot on video review.

The Pelicans tied a season high with 18 made 3s, going 18 of 41.

The Pelicans visit the Wizards on Sunday night.

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New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado gestures after a moment of silence honoring the victims of the New Year's Day deadly attack on Bourbon Street before an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, right, who used to play for the New Orleans Pelicans, reacts after a moment of silence honoring the victims of the New Year's Day deadly attack on Bourbon Street before an NBA basketball game against the Pelicans in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

From top left to right, New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, center Yves Missi, forward Herbert Jones and center Daniel Theis react after a moment of silence honoring the victims of the New Year's Day deadly attack on Bourbon Street before an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

A sign is displayed in honor of the victims of the New Year's Day deadly attack on Bourbon Street before an NBA basketball game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Washington Wizards in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, center, shoots against Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon, center left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (15) reacts after passing to Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) for a dunk against the Washington Wizards during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (15) reacts after passing to New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III, top center, for a dunk against the Washington Wizards during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) passes to guard Malcolm Brogdon, left, next to New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, front right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III, right, dunks against Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) shoots against Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) celebrates a 3-point basket with forward Herbert Jones (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards in New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops in eastern Ukraine have captured the stronghold of Kurakhove after a monthslong battle, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed Monday, adding the wrecked town to the Kremlin’s list of conquests in the partially occupied Donetsk region during the almost three-year war.

The claim, which drew no response from Ukrainian authorities, came a day after the Russian Defense Ministry said Ukrainian forces had launched a new thrust in Russia’s Kursk border region.

The inauguration in two weeks’ time of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has brought a new element of uncertainty into the conflict and triggered an apparent effort by both sides to establish battlefield gains before any possible peace talks are held.

Trump hasn’t detailed his plans for accomplishing his goal of ending the fighting, but his presence in the White House is likely to significantly affect how the war plays out.

Kurakhove is a key stronghold for the Ukrainian army on the eastern front line. It has an industrial zone, a thermal power plant and a reservoir. It also sits on a highway running between eastern and southern Ukraine.

In November, The Associated Press reported from the town that some 7,000-10,000 people likely remained in Kurakhove. Its prewar population was about twice that. The town has been under relentless attacks from artillery, multiple rocket launchers, powerful guided bombs and drones that have shattered buildings.

Ukrainian officials usually comment on major battlefield defeats only days after Russia announces them.

Russia has this year been driving westward in a slow and costly effort to capture all of Donetsk. Ukraine is short of troops on the front lines and is straining to hold back the bigger Russian army.

Russian forces are trying to close in on nearby Pokrovsk, which is a key road junction and a rail distribution center, furnishing supplies to a broad span of the Ukrainian front line.

In 2022, Moscow illegally annexed the Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk regions, which make up the Donbas industrial area, together with southeastern provinces of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. But Russian forces don’t fully control any of the four.

Ukraine is keen to get new Western military aid delivered quickly, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday he hoped more would be pledged later this week at a meeting with Western partners in Germany.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Sunday that Ukraine launched a fresh offensive in the Kursk region, where military analysts estimate Kyiv has recently lost 40% of what its forces captured in a lightning insurgency five months ago.

Russian officials claimed their forces pushed back the Ukrainian push, but some reports from Russian military bloggers indicated that Moscow’s forces faced significant pressure.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

In this photo taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, Russian servicemen attend a combat training for assault units in an undisclosed location. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, Russian servicemen attend a combat training for assault units in an undisclosed location. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, Russian servicemen attend a combat training for assault units in an undisclosed location. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)