NBA preseason began yesterday. It’ll be an incredibly brief period of exhibition games, with the regular season starting December 22.
One of the teams making the biggest splashes this offseason was the Atlanta Hawks, who fell 116-102 to the Orlando Magic. But one key Hawks addition was made last season: center Clint Capela, who arrived to the team while injured. He made his debut yesterday. Via the Atlanta Journal Constitution:
Not long after Lloyd Pierce subbed Clint Capela out in the fourth quarter, Capela asked him if he could get back in the game.
Capela was about four minutes under the 24-to-25 minute restriction Pierce had assigned everyone, but he decided to keep the center, making his debut in a Hawks jersey and playing in his first NBA setting since Jan. 29, out for the final stretch of the game…
Most of the returning Hawks players haven’t played since March 11, but Capela has been out even longer, bothered by a nagging heel injury until he eventually started feeling better this summer. He’s now fully healthy, but it will take a while for him to get back in game shape. In just 20 minutes, though, he already helped alleviate the Hawks’ rebounding woes.
Capela finished with 14 rebounds (nine defensive, five offensive) in a smaller amount of playing time than he’ll normally get, and helped the Hawks out-rebound the Magic, 61-49.
A number of key Hawks played very limited minutes yesterday, and didn’t have their best games. But the squad is one to watch once the season begins.
