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John Collins has been sidelined for over a month with lingering foot and finger injuries. With the Atlanta Hawks set to kick off their 2022 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat today, fans are wondering if Collins will suit up.
Is Hawks' John Collins playing vs. Heat
John Collins will suit up for the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 of the team's playoff series against Miami on Sunday. Shams Charania tweeted that, barring any setbacks in warm-ups, Collins will play for the first time since March 11th.
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Atlanta's John Collins will play in Game 1 vs. Heat today, barring issues in warmups, sources said. Gut-it-out return for the Hawks, who are without Clint Capela. https://t.co/ZMpGsL0tUN
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 17, 2022
After winning play-in games against Charlotte and Cleveland, the Hawks secured a date with the East's number 1 seed. The Heat went 53-29 in the regular season and are favorites to advance over Atlanta. But Collins' return will be a massive benefit for the Hawks, who will be without Clint Capella in Game 1. Collins missed the last 16 games for Atlanta with finger and foot injuries.
Collins' points and rebounds total dipped below his career average this season. But at 16.2 PPG and 7.8 RPG Collins will play a crucial role in Atlanta's bid to upset Miami.
The Hawks were 1-3 against the Heat this season, and lost the only matchup in which Collins didn't play. But after two victories in must-win games just to get into the playoffs, the Hawks' confidence must be high. Atlanta dismantled Charlotte at home 132-103 last Wednesday. The Hawks then took down the Cavs in Cleveland 107-101 on Friday to ensure their spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
The two play-in wins came without Collins. But it looks like Atlanta will have their second-leading scorer for as long as they last in the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
