The Darius Garland-John Collins duo has a chance to be special offensively.
After winning five of their last six games, the Los Angeles Clippers are back to .500 for the first time since the sixth game of the season. They have been trending up in recent weeks, despite the unexpected shakeup at the trade deadline.
The most encouraging part of it is the fact that they have been doing so without John Collins. Collins has missed seven of LA's last eight games. After suffering a fall and hurting his neck on February 20 against the Lakers, Collins missed two games before returning against the Pelicans on March 1st. His return was brief after he reaggravated his injury and has been unavailable since. The starting power forward took part in on-court activities on Monday, but is. In fact, he has already been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a neck strain designation on the injury report.Upon his return, however, Collins should give the Clippers a major boost. Not only is he the only traditional power forward on the roster, but he is also an excellent fit next to Darius Garland. Collins has yet to play with Garland this season, but when he does, the duo has a chance to be highly productive. Garland started the last two games for the Clippers and has looked as shifty as ever, beating his defenders consistently and getting to his spots at will. He has been finding his teammates for open shots and cutters for easy baskets under the rim. What he has been missing, however, is a lob threat. As a very good pick-and-roll player who can find the roll man with ease, Garland doesn't have a rim running big who can catch lobs and finish around the basket. That will change once Collins returns. The 28-year-old power forward is one of the better dunkers in the league. He has made a living as a lob-finishing roll man and has 67 dunks for the season already, by far the the most on the team. With Ivica Zubac no longer on the team and Yanic Konan Niederhauser out for the season, the Clippers don't have too much depth and versatility in the frontcourt. Brook Lopez will play, stretching the floor and being a pick-and-pop option. Collins, on the other hand, will be the pick-and-roll partner for Garland, finishing the looks created by the dynamic point guard. This should benefit Collins greatly as he approaches the offseason. The athletic scorer will be a free agent over the summer, and if he puts numbers up over the final stretch of the season and the playoffs, he can make himself a good chunk of money, either from the Clippers or elsewhere.Cem has worked as an Associate Editor for FanSided's Regional Betting Network sites for two years and continues to be a contributor, producing NBA and NFL content. He has also previously written soccer content for Sports Illustrated. He has extensive prior experience covering the NBA for various Fansided sites. Cem has been living in the Washington, DC area for over 15 years since moving to the United States from Istanbul, Turkey. On any given day, he can be found watching soccer or basketball on his couch with his many cats and dogs.Darius Garland Gives Clippers Fans Much-Needed Hope Before Final Stretch
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Audrey Hepburn's Son Shares Thoughts on Lily Collins BiopicSean Hepburn Ferrer expresses his approval of Lily Collins' casting as Audrey Hepburn in an upcoming biopic based on Sam Wasson's book. He shares his thoughts on the project, acknowledging the mixed reactions to the casting and mentioning another Hepburn-related film in development. The article also provides a brief overview of Hepburn's life and career.
Read more »
Arkansas guard Darius Acuff and Florida coach Todd Golden land top honors from SEC coachesArkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. and Florida’s Todd Golden have been named the Southeastern Conference’s player and coach of the year.
Read more »
Lily Collins, Ted Danson, Naomi Osaka and More Hit the Desert for Annual Celebrity Tennis TournamentThe sun was hot and the stars were out at the 22nd annual Desert Smash philanthropic event in La Quinta, California.
Read more »
Clippers Injury Report vs. Knicks: Will Darius Garland & John Collins Play?The LA Clippers are mostly healthy in their Monday night clash against the New York Knicks.
Read more »
Liza Minnelli's Book Details Life With Mom Judy GarlandLiza Minnelli opened up about her complicated but loving relationship with her mom, Judy Garland, in her new memoir
Read more »
8 Most Thrilling Action Movies of All Time, RankedKeanu Reeves as John Wick in John Wick Chapter 4
Read more »