After a lengthy 25-game suspension, John Collins wowed in his return to the Atlanta Hawks.
Monday night’s game didn’t have the preferred outcome, but fans of the Atlanta Hawks have to be pleased with John Collins’ performance.
Lloyd Pierce and the Atlanta Hawks did not hold back John Collins one bit after sitting out the last month and a half of games. Collins logged 35 minutes and posted 27 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals. If he is able to recreate this production on a nightly basis, Collins will answer many of the Hawks’ problems.
Trae Young led all scorers, as he posted 30 points and 11 assists. This was the first time since December 11 that Young had double-digit assists, a stat that will see inflated numbers with Collins’ return to the rotation.
De’Andre Hunter and Kevin Huerter were also top performers. Hunter contributed 23 points while Huerter had a season-high 19 points on five 3-pointers, as well as tying his season high with 3 steals.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, this was a four-man effort tonight.
Jabari Parker and Cam Reddish each chipped in seven points on iffy efficiency. Parker’s play dropping off once Collins would return was a concern by some. Now that he isn’t the second option on the team, Parker will not be as valuable if he’s designated to a bench role.
It was a rough night to be a center on the Hawks, as both Alex Len and Bruno Fernando sustained injuries. Len left with a sprained ankle, while Fernando suffered a mouth contusion.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were impressive considering the situation. Minutes before tip-off, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski announced via Twitter that the Cavs had just dealt one of their top scorers.
Cleveland has agreed to trade Jordan Clarkson to Utah for Dante Exum, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 23, 2019
A sudden move that no one saw coming would certainly damage the team chemistry. No one would feel safe.
Other than the unexpected departure of Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, and Kevin Love scored 25, 21, and 20 points respectively. Cedi Osman scored 18 points, and Kevin Porter added another 15.
Even though the Atlanta Hawks lost, fans can’t be too upset with this game. The best four players all performed well and John Collins was very impressive, especially for someone who hasn’t played in a month and a half. However, while the Hawks can live with the loss tonight, hopefully having Collins back with the team will result in more wins.