Collins seemed to be grateful to even be on the floor again.
The Los Angeles Clippers fell to the Sacramento Kings 118-109 on Saturday night at Intuit Dome, snapping what had been a four-game winning streak.
But even in the loss, there was some good news for the Clippers.
John Collins was back on the floor for the first time in over two weeks after missing seven straight games with a neck strain, and while the result was not what the team wanted, his return alone was worth paying attention to.
Collins Speaks on His Mindset
After the game, Collins talked about where his head is at after dealing with multiple injuries that kept him away from a surging team.
"I feel good," Collins said. "Just had a rough stretch recently, so I'm trying not to complain about it too much. Just trying to stay ready mentally and help the team in any way I can. It could have been a lot worse on the injury side, but just trying to stay positive."
That is exactly what you want to hear from a guy who has dealt with what Collins has over the past few weeks.
On February 20, Collins landed hard on the left side of his head during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers and suffered a head laceration along with neck soreness, which kept him out for nine days.
He returned on March 1 against the New Orleans Pelicans, but in that same game he went down again with a right arm injury and aggravated his neck, which was reclassified as a neck strain and cost him another seven games.
Collins called both incidents "freak accidents" and said he is looking at the bright side because it could have been much worse.
What Collins Brought in His Return
Coming off the bench on Saturday, Collins finished with 10 points on 2-of-5 shooting and 5-of-6 from the free throw line while adding three rebounds, two steals and a block in 20 minutes.
It was not the flashiest return, but for a guy who had not played since March 1, getting back on the court and contributing right away was a solid sign.
On the season, Collins is averaging 13.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 56.0 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from three in 54 games.
Since being inserted into the starting lineup back in November, those numbers have been even better.
Why His Return Matters for a Streaking Team
The Clippers sit at 34-33, which does not look impressive on paper but tells one of the best stories in the NBA this year.
This is a team that started 6-21 and looked like one of the worst in the league, but they have completely flipped the script and turned into a real playoff threat in the West.
Kawhi Leonard has been carrying the load at 28.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, and newcomers like Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin have provided a spark since the trade deadline.
What makes Collins so important is that he gives the Clippers a versatile forward who can finish at the rim, stretch the floor and play solid defense on both ends.
With Bradley Beal done for the season and the team leaning on a deep but aging rotation, getting Collins back healthy down the stretch could be the difference between a first-round exit and a real playoff run.
The Clippers will look to get back on track Monday when they host Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs at Intuit Dome.