Atlanta Hawks big man John Collins will miss his team's game against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon as a result of a left ankle injury, according to the team.
This marks the second time this season that Collins has dealt with ankle issues, as he also missed the first month of the season with left ankle problems.
Collins has been having a terrific month of December, posting double-doubles in seven of his eight games and averaging 22.1 points and 13.1 rebounds per game.
In 16 games overall this season, the 21-year-old is registering 18.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists over 29.1 minutes per game while shooting 57.7 percent from the floor, 22.2 percent from 3-point range and 70 percent from the free-throw line.
Collins, who played his collegiate basketball at Wake Forest University, was originally selected by the Hawks in the first round (19th pick overall) of the 2017 NBA Draft.
He had a very impressive rookie campaign, recording 10.5 points, 7.3 boards and 1.1 blocks across 24.1 minutes a night, making 57.6 percent of his field goal attempts, 34 percent of his long-distance tries and 71.5 percent of his foul shots.
Atlanta is clearly in a rebuilding year and currently owns a record of 8-23. However, the Hawks have won two straight games, most recently rallying from 15 points down to defeat the New York Knicks on Friday.
Last season, Atlanta won just 24 games and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2007, ending an Eastern Conference-leading streak of 10 straight playoff appearances.
After battling the Pistons on the road on Sunday, the Hawks will return home to play host to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
Follow Us
Subscribe