NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HAWKS VS. BUCKS

June 25, 2021

John Collins

Atlanta Hawks

Game 2: Postgame

Bucks 125, Hawks 91

Q. Nate spoke about how the Bucks kind of showed you guys tonight that there's another level you're going to have to reach to beat this team. What do you need to do to reach that level and to respond to this loss?

JOHN COLLINS: Yeah, we've just got to up our level of competition, of intensity. I feel like this is part of us growing into the mature players that can handle a championship run, as this is our first -- and not to make any excuse, but these are the type of things that happen. It's on us to improve and make adjustments.

Q. What do you feel like the Bucks did differently tonight to stop you guys on offense?

JOHN COLLINS: If anything, it was just the pressure. I feel like the pressure they applied to the ball. They're obviously a lot more aggressive and a lot quicker out in transition. I just feel like the ball pressure at the point of the screen was definitely a lot more intense.

Q. As one of the vocal leaders of this team, what do you say to the guys after a game like this, and how difficult is it to erase a performance like this one?

JOHN COLLINS: I don't know if you ever really necessarily erase it, but we can go back and learn from it and understand that this is probably the same game plan for them coming next game. That's the great thing, that we have more games. We get to go back home and try this again.

That's really my sentiment or my speech to guys if I had one: We've got some games at home to try to bring this back.

Q. Trae talked a little bit about the aggressiveness that the Bucks applied to him. What can you do to counter that in Game 3? Is it better screens? Is it more movement off the ball? How do you counter that?

JOHN COLLINS: Yeah, I feel like firstly we've just got to be more patient and try not to just give the team extra possessions. But I feel like if anything I just feel like we need to have more movement off the ball, giving guys outlets in areas to catch the ball and try to create. So I feel like that's step one.

Q. How good was it to see Cam get some minutes out there tonight?

JOHN COLLINS: Yeah, one of the bright spots of the night, for sure. I love seeing my brother get healthy, get back on the court and try to get some minutes back under his legs. Obviously playoff minutes, so it's a little different, but happy nonetheless.

Q. Is it encouraging at all as tough as this loss is, you're still going back home and it's 1-1? You've been in this exact same scenario the first two series and you were able to win those.

JOHN COLLINS: Yeah, I'd say it's comforting in a weird way to know that we've been through this situation twice now. Hopefully we can continue to capitalize as we've done, splitting this. But it's nice to just have a little bit of struggle and toughness under our belt from the previous series. As I said, we're going to need that to finish out the series.

Q. I'm just wondering, it's rare that you're watching the whole game from the fourth quarter on the bench. What was going through your mind during that time?

JOHN COLLINS: I was just cheering on my guys. I feel like one of my favorite things to do during a basketball game is to cheer for my teammates on the bench. I work out with those guys every single day, travel with them. Just cheering them on and trying to encourage my guys to keep their heads up for the next game.

Q. When time ran out, I know all the guys on the bench were sort of shaking hands, and I think you went out and greeted the guys who came off the court and stuff. Could you just share what was being said during those exchanges?

JOHN COLLINS: Yeah, just words of encouragement, words of understanding, knowing that we have two more games to play at home before we come back, and understanding that it's not all bad. Although we did lose tonight in a way none of us like, we still did our jobs and split and we can go back home and try to regroup.

Q. What do you think were the biggest factors in that first half that really knocked you backward?

JOHN COLLINS: Really just turnovers. Turning over the ball, offensive rebounding -- two killers for anybody trying to win a game. Those are two tough things to deal with that we necessarily weren't taking care of in the first quarter, and I definitely felt like it gave them some energy.

Q. You know you've got to go back and relive this, watching tape. How difficult is that going to be?

JOHN COLLINS: Oh, it's going to be tough. Watching film after a loss is always tough, but for me at this point I sort of thrive in learning how to get better from what they're doing. As I said before, the good part about being in a series is you can watch and prepare for the next game as we play the same team. Hopefully that gives us a little confidence.

Q. When Giannis refuses to settle for jump shots and attacks the rim, what's the impact that has on your team on the court?

JOHN COLLINS: It just pulls our defense in more. Obviously he's a big threat down low in the paint, and it's tough to do a lot when he gets the ball down there. That's really it.

Q. You kind of mentioned this before, but the fan support, we've actually seen fans travel to the games on the road, and of course the fan support while you're at home. How impactful has it been to have the city of Atlanta and beyond stand behind and support you guys?

JOHN COLLINS: Oh, it's been amazing. That's part of why I'm excited to go back home. We haven't really had a chance to experience any of that energy that is still building from Atlanta after us moving on from last series and coming here. We're excited to get back home, in our own bed, and try to regroup.

Q. As you said, you've been here before. What did you learn about bouncing back? What do you guys need to do to bounce back and get the next game?

JOHN COLLINS: You know, firstly it's a mental thing. Understanding that it's one game, and sort of remove it from the brain. Understanding that they've turned up their level of intensity, which means we need to turn up ours. Just learning from our mistakes and not making the same ones twice.