Indiana Pacers point guard Darren Collison will play Friday night against the Atlanta Hawks, after missing the last 11 games recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, the Pacers announced.
Collison was enjoying arguably the best - and inarguably the most efficient - season of his career before undergoing the knee scope. Across 52 games, he averaged 12.8 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals with a sterling .495/.432/.897 shooting line. The Pacers have been 4.6 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor.
His return comes at an opportune time for the Pacers, who are trying to hang onto a spot in the 4-5 bracket in the East, and have the most difficult remaining schedule in the conference, by far. Twelve of their final 17 games come against teams with winning records, including two games apiece against the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors, and another against the Boston Celtics.
Indiana sits a game-and-a-half up on the Philadelphia 76ers (who have the NBA's easiest remaining schedule) for fifth in the East, and the two teams will square off on Tuesday.
