Over the last 4 games, John Collins hasn’t been scoring as expected but he’s still helping the Pistons rack up wins by making his impact felt in other ways. Although Collins’ shots haven’t been falling, he’s committing as a defender and rebounder, which has led to some big wins recently. Detroit is just waiting for his shot to bounce back, which can make him an important all-around player.
Collins has still been a positive in Detroit
Over those 4 games, Collins is averaging just 3.5 points per game while shooting 27% from the field and failing to hit a single three. That’s exceptionally bad, but the Pistons are still 3-1 in that stretch with him playing substantial minutes.
Collins has made his impact felt in other ways, one of them being rebounding. In 2 of those games, he had 9 rebounds apiece against opponents with size in the Knicks and Nets. That included 3 offensive rebounds in each of those games as well.
Overall, Collins has also been a more active defender than at previous points in his career. He’s averaging a block per game in the last 4, and his rim protection goes beyond that. The Pistons have been shorthanded at center, but Collins’ help defense has helped shore up the paint.
Other Pistons have had the luxury of gaining a scoring boost in recent blowouts, but Collins isn’t so lucky. Regardless, he’s remained confident in his shot and aggressive when the right opportunities present themselves. That confidence will be key to providing spacing and remaining a threat even when he’s in a slump.
Collins should bounce back in time
Thankfully, Collins is now a seasoned veteran with the mental fortitude to weather a storm of poor shooting. He’s not a young player who needs to build up that confidence in the first place. And the bounce back should be inevitable, especially once the Pistons get fully healthy.
Detroit’s biggest absence in the last couple weeks has been Jalen Duren, who’s been out since early in the second game of the season. Duren’s gravity as a roller and lob threat should open easier opportunities for Collins, both in the dunker spot and at the three-point line.
After all, Collins was brought in for his ability to complement the trio of Cade Cunningham, Duren and Ausar Thompson rather than be a dominant shot creator himself. Collins hasn’t gotten much opportunity to play in that role yet, but there’s still hope that he could thrive in it.
Since leaving the Hawks in 2023, Collins has shot at least 52% from the field and 37% from three in every season. If he reaches those levels again with the Pistons, on top of his other contributions, he can be a great role player.
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