John

Collins

Jackson has been out since spraining his ankle during a March 27 win over the Pacers, leaving the Clippers without a legitimate backup center. John Collins has filled the void in Jackson’s absence and would continue to do so if he can’t return for Wednesday’s Play-In Tournament game against the Warriors.

With no Kawhi Leonard (ankle), Collins returned to the Clippers’ starting lineup after coming off the bench in three of the previous four games. He finished one rebound shy of a double-double against the Warriors, but Collins produced nothing else in his 21 minutes on the floor. Leonard will be available for Wednesday’s rematch with the Warriors, which would relegate Collins to the backup center role he’s been asked to assume since Isaiah Jackson went down.

The Clippers will need the Kings to beat the Trail Blazers to have a chance a the No. 8 seed in the West, so they’ll prioritize extra rest for Leonard. John Collins should take on extra minutes with Leonard sidelined. This puts them on track to play the Warriors again on Wednesday in a win-or-go-home matchup.

Leonard is on the injury report with a left ankle sprain, initially sustained in late March. The Clippers will need help to secure the No. 8 seed in the West after Friday’s loss to the Trail Blazers. If Leonard can’t play on Sunday, John Collins’ playing time is likely to increase after logging 18 minutes in Portland.

Garland did not play in Wednesday’s loss to the Thunder, as it was the Clippers’ second game in as many nights. His return will push John Collins to the bench. Collins has moved to the bench to help the Clippers account for the lack of options behind starting center Brook Lopez.

Collins started on Wednesday for the injured Darius Garland to give the Clippers a bigger opening unit. He did solid work on the glass and was decent as a scorer in his 27 minutes, ultimately falling just short of a double-double. Collins has had an up-and-down season with the Clippers, with highs and lows coming in bunches. Whether or not he remains in the starting unit once Garland returns remains to be seen. He and the Clippers face the Trail Blazers on Friday in a game that could determine which team gets the Western Conference’s eighth seed and two guaranteed chances in the Play-In Tournament to advance.

Wednesday’s game is the second in as many nights for the Clippers, who beat the Mavericks on Tuesday. As a result, Garland will sit for injury management reasons, with Collins moving into the starting lineup. Kris Dunn will run the point, which raises his fantasy ceiling.

Wednesday’s game is the second in as many nights for the Clippers, so Garland’s sitting is not a surprise. With John Collins taking on the backup center responsibilities, he may remain with the second unit. Kobe Sanders is another option to step into the starting lineup if the Clippers prefer to bring Collins off the bench.

Collins’ 25 points were tied with one other game for his season-high in points this year. The 28-year-old only played 24 minutes due to the lopsided score, but still had an excellent game due to his efficiency. Collins has provided eighth-round per game value over the last two weeks. The Clippers have four games in the final week of the regular season, starting with a matchup against the Mavericks on Tuesday.

The Clippers are going back to Dunn in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game. John Collins heads to the bench, but his playing time should not take a significant hit. With Isaiah Jackson out, Collins has filled the void at center behind starter Brook Lopez.