The Atlanta Hawks lost Clint Capela in their play-in showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, but luckily for them, they could have John Collins back in time for the playoffs.
Capela was able to avoid significant injury in his knee, with MRI revealing no structural damage; however, he is still expected to miss significant time as he's set to be evaluated in a week. That means he'll be absent for at least Games 1 and 2 of the Hawks' playoff series with the Miami Heat.
That's certainly brutal news to a Hawks team that has been relying on Capela to man the paint. He is a monster double-double machine who put up 11.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per game during the regular season, all while averaging 1.3 blocks.
As mentioned, however, Collins could return in Game 1 against the Heat. The star big man has been absent since March 11 due to foot and finger injuries, but Shams Charania of The Athletic highlighted that he'll attempt to suit up on Sunday to help the team.
Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins – out since March 11 due to foot and finger injuries – will attempt to play in Game 1 of series vs. Miami on Sunday, sources tell me and @ChrisKirschner. He has been upgraded to questionable.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 16, 2022
Having John Collins will surely be big for the Hawks. Not only do they get a big man who can man the paint, but Collins is a great offensive option behind Trae Young.
While Collins is not the dominant and imposing rebounder that Clint Capela is, he is more than capable of filling the void he lefts at the center spot. And against a Heat team boasting a star like Bam Adebayo, his presence will surely be crucial.
The Hawks visit the Heat at FTX Arena to get their playoffs series going.
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