On March 18, Beijing time, the Atlanta Hawks led by Trae Young are making a final effort for the playoffs. However, at this critical juncture, the latest news from the team's 24-year-old rising star John Collins gave them a headshot. According to The Athletic reporter Shams Charania, Collins has been reimbursed this season for a torn plantar fascia in his right foot and injured the ring finger of his right hand, with an indefinite truce with no specific date of return. Eagles coach McMillan said Collins will be looking for specialist doctors to consult and may even need surgery.
Collins has been playing with injuries over the past few weeks, playing in pain, and collins have missed 10 of the Hawks' last 14 games due to the aforementioned injuries, but now the big forward will be ruled out for the foreseeable future, according to the revelations. The Atlanta Hawks are currently in tenth place in the East, just one game away from ninth-placed Charlotte Hornets and 1.5 games behind eighth-placed Brooklyn Nets. The good news for Trae Young and the Hawks is that the Wizards, currently ranked 11th, are underperforming.
The Wizards have recently suffered a five-game losing streak, and their distance from the Hawks is gradually widening, and the Wizards are currently 4.5 wins behind the Hawks, meaning the Atlanta Hawks have at least a place in the playoffs. But without Collins, a defensive savvy and interior maniac, McMillan will be stretched thin in terms of hiring, collins is the team's second-leading scorer this season, after Trae Young, who averaged 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, shooting 52.6% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range.
The Eagles with Collins and Capela at the same time are very scary, both are good frame guards, defensive toughsters, the Eagles have the most envied twin towers in the league, but unfortunately, after Collins has no chance to play, Capela's pressure on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends will be greatly increased, and Trae Young will also be difficult to support and fall into a situation of fighting alone. However, this is good news for the Nets, so that the Hawks are not enough to pose a threat to them, and with one less powerful follow-up, the Nets can focus more on dealing with the Hornets and Raptors.
With Irving unable to play at home, the Nets' prospects for this season are uncertain, and it's also a good opportunity for the Raptors and Hornets. However, the Nets can play too many players, in addition to Dragic, but also Thomas and Curry Jr., on the bench, and sharp, Griffin and other players, so people are still optimistic about the Nets entering the playoffs. With Collins' reimbursement, the Nets' odds of making it into the playoffs are getting bigger and bigger.