Atlanta Hawks: Studs and duds from blown lead and loss vs Suns

Atlanta Hawks stud from collapse versus Suns: John Collins bounced back in a big way

The only Hawk to avoid a personal disaster in the fourth quarter, John Collins got a 26-point, 10-rebound double-double in one of his best performances of the season. He shot 75 percent from the floor and from three in his second game going 3-of-4 from long distance.

It was his fifth double-double but just his third time scoring over 20 points this season.

In the fourth quarter, Collins shot 66.7 percent from the floor while not taking any threes and hauling in four boards. He also hit his lone free-throw attempt for a team-high five points in the final frame.

On the season, Collins is third on the team in fourth-quarter scoring with 3.9 points; a full point behind Young and Cam Reddish.

However, Collins is by far the most efficient player in the quarter among the regulars. He’s shooting 61.5 percent in the fourth quarter on the third-most attempts while Clint Capela is next at 54.5 percent.

There is an argument, looking back on this game and the season as a whole, that he needs to get more looks down the stretch of games. But he had been shooting just 20 percent in the fourth quarter over the previous two games. This was a welcomed sight and could lead to more opportunities late if he can be consistent.

That has been the biggest challenge for Collins, and the team in general, this season as they might be overwhelmed by the amount of talent they have; as off-the-wall as that may sound.

The chemistry has clearly been off and they’re letting the officiating impact them far too much.