San Antonio Express-News

Collins is starting to feel like himself again

- JEFF MCDONALD SPURS INSIDER

Friday’s game against New Orleans was the fourth for Spurs center Zach Collins since he returned from a three-week layoff with a left leg fracture.

He is slowly starting to feel like himself again.

“Any time you come back from an injury, if it’s just a couple days, everything is very foreign to you,” Collins said. “It its one day or three weeks, whatever it is, it kind of takes a game or two to come back.”

If there is anything the 25-year-old knows, it’s how to come back from injury.

Collins appeared in only 11 games in his final two seasons in Portland while dealing with a series of ankle surgeries.

Recovery time bled into his first season with the Spurs, postponing his Silver and Black debut into the middle of the 2021-22 campaign.

Compared with that injury history, Collins has been relatively healthy this season — fractured leg and all.

He suffered the injury in a

Nov. 4 loss to the L.A. Clippers when he collided with Paul George.

“His knee ran into my bone perfectly,” Collins said.

The impact left Collins with a nondisplac­ed fracture of the tibia, sidelining him for 10 games.

In his first three games since returning, Collins has totaled 25 points and 21 rebounds. He has been starting in place of Jakob Poeltl, who is out with a bone bruise in his right knee.

With confidence restored in his healed leg, Collins is looking forward to his rhythm returning as well.

“I think any time you come back, you just want to see how you feel,” said Collins, who is averaging a career-best 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 12 appearance­s. “Everything in practice is super controlled. Until you get

out there and everything is unpredicta­ble, you don’t really know.”

The Spurs’ injured list has only gotten longer since Collins came off it.

Poeltl remained out for the third consecutiv­e game Friday, as did rookie forward Jeremy Sochan (quad contusion).

Reserve wings Josh

Richardson and Doug Mcdermott were listed as doubtful with ankle sprains.

The injuries contribute­d to the Spurs’ 1-14 record in November, the worst month in club history.

“We have dealt with guys being in and out all year,” Collins said. “Every team goes through

some adversity. Obviously we have been taking a lot of losses lately, along with guys getting banged up.”

Johnson makes Spurs debut

Journeyman forward Alize Johnson found his way to the floor in Wednesday’s loss at Oklahoma

City, less than 36 hours after signing with the team.

Johnson scored two points with three rebounds in seven minutes.

It made the Spurs his fourth team in the past two seasons, and the sixth of his four-year career.

“I took a lot of things from a lot of teams I played on,” Johnson said. “Mostly just staying ready.”

Johnson was in training camp with the Spurs in October before being waived. He had been playing with the Spurs’ G League affiliate in Austin.

That familiarit­y with the Spurs system helped Johnson against OKC, but only to a point, coach Gregg Popovich said.

“He did the best he could,” Popovich said. “He’s limited in knowing what we’re doing, but he’s trying his best.”

Jones spreads cheer at hospital

Spurs point guard Tre Jones played Santa Claus earlier this week, donating a GO KART portable gaming console to patients at Methodist Children’s Hospital.

Jones presented children with the gift while also taking part in a few of the games himself. Fortnite is his favorite.

“To be able to put smiles on those kids’ faces means the world to me,” Jones said. “They are in an unfortunat­e situation over there. Just to be able to give them some joy is what it’s all about.”

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 ?? Sue Ogrocki/associated Press ?? In his first three games since returning from a fractured leg, Spurs center Zach Collins has totaled 25 points and 21 rebounds. The oft-injured big man has been starting in place of Jakob Poeltl, who’s out with a bone bruise in his right knee.
Sue Ogrocki/associated Press In his first three games since returning from a fractured leg, Spurs center Zach Collins has totaled 25 points and 21 rebounds. The oft-injured big man has been starting in place of Jakob Poeltl, who’s out with a bone bruise in his right knee.

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