Welcome to ATL John Collins!

Post #341 » by **Jamaaliver** » Tue May 29, 2018 7:39 pm

One Flaw Every Top NBA Rookie Needs to Fix

John Collins, Atlanta Hawks: Defensive Awareness

John Collins' three-point shot showed up over the final three months of the season. He shot 35.6 percent on threes from January on. The sample was tiny (45 attempts in that span), but the development was encouraging.

Collins also displayed elite bounce that enabled him to finish above the rim and make an impact on the offensive glass.

Having now complimented the 6'10" pogo stick twice, we get to the issue at hand: Collins needs to develop his defensive instincts. All of that athleticism isn't much good if Collins can't channel it intelligently.

Too often, his attempts to swat shots into the 19th row resulted in an opponent getting an easy offensive board and sticking it back in for two. Rotations were often a step slow, and Collins was exceptionally foul-prone early in his rookie season.

Despite solid individual rebounding numbers (7.3 in 24.1 minutes per game), Collins' presence on the floor damaged Atlanta's team defensive rebounding, per Jeff Siegel of Peachtree Hoops:

"The Hawks were particularly poor on the defensive glass when he was in the game: they gave up a 28.8 percent offensive rebound rate to their opponents when he was out there and a 34.8 percent rate when he played center. Both of those numbers rank below the 10th percentile among big men this season."

Some players have more natural timing and feel on D than others, but the good news for Collins is that he can make up a lot of ground by studying film and getting more reps. Based on his motor and coachability as a rookie, there's a good chance Collins eventually becomes an impactful defender.

Bleacher Report

macd-gm · Post #342 » by **macd-gm** » Tue May 29, 2018 8:03 pm

His ability to box out on the defensive glass was definitely suspect. This is the kind of thing vet 4s and 5s will abuse you on though. He'll learn.

jayu70 · Post #343 » by **jayu70** » Tue May 29, 2018 8:25 pm

These are the things I find encouraging about Collins:
1. He was a fouling machine to start the season, he got better as yhe season went on
2. He tried to dunk every single time, he developed some moves around the basket that wasn't a dunk
3. His assists and willingness to pass the ball - much was made of his lack of assists in college.
4. His defense is a work in progress, the willingness is there. He got better at rotation and anticipation - still a step slow sometimes but he's at least recongnizing where he should be.

macd-gm · Post #344 » by **macd-gm** » Tue May 29, 2018 8:50 pm

jayu70 wrote:These are the things I find encouraging about Collins:
1. He was a fouling machine to start the season, he got better as yhe season went on
2. He tried to dunk every single time, he developed some moves around the basket that wasn't a dunk
3. His assists and willingness to pass the ball - much was made of his lack of assists in college.
4. His defense is a work in progress, the willingness is there. He got better at rotation and anticipation - still a step slow sometimes but he's at least recongnizing where he should be.

Definitely showing good progress....except for #2.

jayu70 · Post #345 » by **jayu70** » Tue May 29, 2018 9:03 pm

macd-gm wrote:
jayu70 wrote:These are the things I find encouraging about Collins:
1. He was a fouling machine to start the season, he got better as yhe season went on
2. He tried to dunk every single time, he developed some moves around the basket that wasn't a dunk
3. His assists and willingness to pass the ball - much was made of his lack of assists in college.
4. His defense is a work in progress, the willingness is there. He got better at rotation and anticipation - still a step slow sometimes but he's at least recongnizing where he should be.

Definitely showing good progress....except for #2.

jayu70 · Post #346 » by **jayu70** » Thu Jun 7, 2018 10:50 am

John Collins Interview on 92.9 The Game yesterday:
https://929thegame.radio.com/media/audio-channel/john-collins-playing-bagley-will-open-my-game

Post #347 » by **Jamaaliver** » Wed Jul 18, 2018 12:44 pm

Read on Twitter

Post #348 » by **Jamaaliver** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:48 pm

Read on Twitter

Collins cited a lengthy list of areas where he intends to step up his game in Year 2.

“Looking a new reads,” Collins noted to start the agenda. “Being able to read new plays. Shooting the 3. Maybe drive and kick. Drive and get to the cup. Just being versatile. Being able to guard multiple positions on defense. Basically, be a mismatch problem and have coach give the confidence and say ‘Yo, whatever the lineup is, whatever the game plans is, we keep John in and involved in the game.’ That’s my goal.”

The continued development of his 3-point shot has been a major point of emphasis for Collins during the offseason. “I think it’s paying off,” Collins said. “I’m going to have confidence shooting my shot.”

Owner Tony Ressler spoke at the Hawks event about the number of significant improvements the Hawks have made off the court – Keeping players like Collins in the fold is the key to success.

“A player like John Collins is not going to stay with a team if it’s a second-tier franchise,” Ressler said.

I get the feeling Ressler views Collins as a foundational, nigh untouchable player. I don't disagree. But it'll be interesting to see what happens if we get a trade offer for the JC Kid that Travis wants to pursue.

steady · Post #349 » by **steady** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:06 pm

https://theathletic.com/475878/2018/08/16/john-collins-ready-to-apply-what-he-has-learned-to-continue-to-expand-his-game/

“Last year, John had a very productive rookie season,” Schlenk said. “He started off the season mainly finishing around the basket as a roller in pick and rolls, but by the end of the year, he was able to step out and knock down corner 3-point shots. So when I talk about the growth in players, the growth in his game last year is what we are going to look for in the rest of our young guys.

“This year, we are going to look for John to establish chemistry with Trae (Young) in the pick and roll. For John, it’s going to be when to roll and when to slip and get out when (the defense) is (breaking) hard, when they are switching, when to pop back and be open for the open 3. That’s the growth we are going to see from him and for Trae to read those situations well.”

One area where Collins showed growth in the summer league is with his 3-point shooting. He only attempted 47 3s during his rookie season in 74 games, but in four games in Utah and Las Vegas, Collins attempted 16 3s and shot 37.5 percent.

Collins said he has worked on his 3-point shooting consistently since the end of the season. The coaches have told him not to mess with the form of his shot but instead just let the stroke come naturally to him. From the work he has put in this offseason, Collins believes it has paid off behind the arc, and he expects to shoot more 3s this season with his added confidence.

“I’ve always been comfortable shooting the 3,” Collins said. “It’s just always been a matter of getting game reps and actually shooting the ball with some confidence. If I do that, I think I’ll make shots. I have proven that my stroke is good enough for me to get the ball there, so now it’s just a matter of me loading up, shooting with confidence and seeing the ball go in the net. I can only get better from there.”

But it’s not just about the 3-point shot for Collins to see growth in his game during his second season. Last season, Collins heavily relied on his teammates to create shots for him. Only 95 of his 550 shot attempts came after he dribbled the ball two or more times. When that happened, Collins’ field goal percentage dropped from 64.2 percent on shot attempts coming after zero or one dribble to 26.3 percent.

From what Collins showed during the summer league — granted summer league defense is not at all similar to the regular season — he is fully capable of attacking the rim. With the Hawks in rebuild mode and the team trying to figure out who will be a part of the future, perhaps Collins’ game will become more versatile.

This is an important season for Collins to establish himself as a full-time starter at either power forward or center, and with the confidence now to shoot more 3s, he has a chance to become one of the team’s go-to players on offense.

“Looking at new reads, being able to read new plays, shoot the 3, maybe drive and kick, drive and get to the cup,” Collins said of what he’s trying to accomplish this season. “Just being versatile and being able to guard multiple positions on defense. Just basically being a mismatch problem and being able to have Coach give me the confidence to say, ‘Yo, whatever their lineup is and whatever the game plan is, we can keep John in and make sure he’s involved in the game.’ That’s my goal.”

ChokeFasncists · Post #350 » by **ChokeFasncists** » Sat Aug 18, 2018 7:53 pm

steady wrote:But it’s not just about the 3-point shot for Collins to see growth in his game during his second season. Last season, Collins heavily relied on his teammates to create shots for him. Only 95 of his 550 shot attempts came after he dribbled the ball two or more times. When that happened, Collins’ field goal percentage dropped from 64.2 percent on shot attempts coming after zero or one dribble to 26.3 percent.

Would the Oak Man include him in the Malone-STAT joke?

Post #351 » by **Jamaaliver** » Mon Aug 20, 2018 2:41 pm

Read on Twitter

macd-gm · Post #352 » by **macd-gm** » Mon Aug 20, 2018 2:52 pm

Trae and JC are poised to be stars in this town bigger than the Hawks have had in forever. Hopefully they can deliver.

Post #353 » by **Jamaaliver** » Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:22 pm

macd-gm wrote:Trae and JC are poised to be stars in this town bigger than the Hawks have had in forever. Hopefully they can deliver.

Specific to the JC Kid, I'm growing more and more confident in him as the true face of the franchise.

He may not be the team's best player. But he seems mature and balanced enough to handle the spotlight. His charm and charisma are undeniable at this point.

No Hawk since Horford has seemed so well suited for the role.

Read on Twitter

Post #354 » by **Jamaaliver** » Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:25 pm

Though this gif makes him look pretty goofy.

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jayu70 · Post #355 » by **jayu70** » Thu Aug 30, 2018 7:26 pm

FOTF.

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Post #356 » by **Jamaaliver** » Mon Sep 10, 2018 12:33 pm

Anybody care to explain why the JC Kid is rocking a purse in this photo?

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jayu70 · Post #357 » by **jayu70** » Mon Sep 10, 2018 2:16 pm

Jamaaliver wrote:Anybody care to explain why the JC Kid is rocking a purse in this photo?

Read on Twitter

It's a murse - this is no worse than LBJs church murse with his short suit pants
'Fashion' my man : fashion 8-)

MaceCase · Post #358 » by **MaceCase** » Mon Sep 10, 2018 2:36 pm

jayu70 · Post #359 » by **jayu70** » Mon Sep 10, 2018 3:18 pm

MaceCase wrote:

Exactly. I was trying to think of the clip but was too lazy to look it up.

jayu70 · Post #360 » by **jayu70** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:58 pm

SI: 2020 Top 100 Projections:

John Collins, Atlanta Hawks

After a string of jaw-dropping games at Las Vegas Summer League showcased his talent, Collins could be on the verge of a statistical breakout at age 21. He already exceeded expectations as a rookie, averaging double figures, impacting the glass on both ends and making 26 starts. Collins should become a full-time starter and lineup fixture as the Hawks start their rebuild, and he will benefit from having Trae Young and Jeremy Lin on the floor making plays.

A dynamic rim-roller who has nicely expanded his shooting range and fits the bill athletically, Collins has begun to unlock the upper end of his potential. He could be more impactful defensively, but there’s no doubt he belongs. Whether this season or next, it shouldn’t be long before he’s posting nightly double-doubles, which would certainly make him a candidate for the Top 100 list. Although the Hawks won’t win a ton of games, Collins’ individual development should be entertaining to follow.

http://amp.si.com/nba/2018/09/14/top-100-nba-players-2020-watch-list-markelle-fultz-deandre-ayton-luka-doncic?__twitter_impression=true