Given the ninja-themed anime character choice and creativity of his Halloween costume as he strolled into the Delta Center, John Collins, perhaps left it immediately clear that the Spurs’ rim protectors stood no fighting chance on October 31, 2024. Hoping to string together the needed possessions to fuel the Utah Jazz’s late-game comeback attempt, the 6-foot-9 highflyer focuses on draining Sandro Mamukelashvili’s energy through nimble steps and a shifty handle. Free to attack after a whirlwind-like spin move opens a path to the rim, Collins turns the opportunity into a wicked one-handed poster flush, breathing temporary life into the arena. A comeback wasn’t in the cards for Salt Lake City during this late-night Western Conference clash. Collins, though, kept his early-season momentum rolling through a 14-point, 11-rebound, three-assist, one-steal, one-block showing, planting the initial seeds for one of his career’s most productive seasons. · Nov 1, 2024