Atlanta Hawks: 3 takeaways from the first two playoff games

Atlanta Hawks takeaway No. 2) John Collins is crucial

In the first game of the series, John Collins only had 12 points. However, he managed to score them efficiently from both the floor and from deep. He had seven rebounds, all on the defensive end of the floor.

Collins’ defense was also crucial. He had a steal and two blocks and altered a lot of shots. In the second game, Collins was only able to stay on the court for 15 minutes thanks to foul trouble. He had two rebounds and a steal but only managed two shot attempts, missing both.

While Gallinari was on the court for 30 minutes, he does not have the same impact defensively that Collins does. Coupled with that the Knicks are so strong with the perimeter defense and the Hawks felt Collins’ absence keenly.

While Gallinari is a savvy veteran, he does not have the athleticism of Collins. Collins is also more dominant on the inside when it comes to finishing the pick and roll. This means that the Knicks were able to defend the other players on the floor a little harder, knowing they could get to the 3-point line if Young chose to pass the ball in a pick and pop with Gallinari.