After experiencing discomfort late in last night’s game vs. Golden State, Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela underwent an MRI earlier today at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex. He has been diagnosed with a left adductor strain. He will be re-evaluated in seven-to-10 days and his status will be updated as appropriate.
Tag: clint capela
Hawks center Clint Capela out with calf strain
Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela, who suffered a right calf injury during the fourth quarter of last night’s game at Orlando, underwent an MRI earlier today in Charlotte. The MRI revealed a right calf strain.
Capela is expected to miss approximately one to two weeks and his return to play will be updated as appropriate.
Hawks center Clint Capela injures knee in play-in game vs. Cavs
Late second quarter in the Atlanta Hawks play-in tournament game in Cleveland against the Cavaliers, Hawks center Clint Capela fouled Cavs big-man Evan Mobley. The foul pulled Mobley in the direction of Capela, resulting in a fall that led to what the Hawks say is a right knee hyperextension.
Per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Capela went down in pain and immediately grabbed his knee after fouling Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, with Mobley then falling on Capela’s knee. Capela was helped back to the Hawks’ locker room.”
Capela won’t return tonight.
The Hawks are already playing without John Collins, so this weakens their frontcourt even further.
Mid third quarter, the Cavs lead, 70-59.
The winner of this game will win a spot in the 2022 playoffs as the East’s No. 8 seed, and will face the Miami Heat in the first round.
Clint Capela has played some monster games for the Hawks lately
Clint Capela was traded to the Hawks last season, but due to injury didn’t suit up for the squad until this year. And, he’s a fit. Especially in some recent games, which saw him put up some monster stat lines. Via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
The Hawks had to wait to work with Capela until this season, as he spent the premature close of the Hawks’ portion of the 2019-20 season nursing a heel injury. Even though he said there are differences to the pick-and-roll game he played so well with James Harden in Houston and the one with the Hawks and Trae Young, there has been a seamlessness to his move here.
“I tell you, we’re a whole lot better with him,” Young said.
With him: There have been some plain stupid stat lines lately. Like Capela’s first career triple-double Jan. 22 that reads like so few others – 13 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks (repeat, 10 blocks) against Minnesota. Just the game before vs. Detroit he went for 27 points and 26 rebounds and five blocks, making him one of only five players in the league to go for at least 25-25-5 in the past 35 years.
Without him: While Capela was missing with an injured hand Sunday, a Hawks team that ranks third in the NBA in rebounding, was outrebounded 52-27 during a loss to Milwaukee.
The Hawks are 10-9 this season, and being lead in scoring by Trae Young at 26.2 points and 8.8 assists per game, De’Andre Hunter at 17.9 ppg, John Collins at 16.7 ppg, Capela at 13.7 ppg and 14.5 rebounds per game, Cam Reddish at 12.7 ppg, and Kevin Huerter at 11.7 ppg.
Hawks holding few full practices so far in this unusual NBA season
It’s been a season of adjustments for all 30 NBA teams, including the Hawks. Via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
The last time the Hawks had a full-on practice, they were in Phoenix and had the opportunity to do so only because their game against the Suns on Jan. 13 was canceled because of contact tracing…
With nine new players on the roster and largely a young roster, at that, the Hawks could use more practice time to build up chemistry and simply iron out any kinks. But, because of the new schedule, they’ve probably had only four full-on, live-contact practices since their season started Dec. 23, Pierce estimated.
Of course, every team is in a similar situation to the Hawks, in that adhereing to safety standards and keeping life simpler than usual is more important than trying to squeeze in as many practices as possible.
The Hawks are 8-7 this season. In yesterday’s 116-98 win over the Timberwolves, two Hawks put up monster games: Trae Young had 43 points, four rebounds and five assists, while Clint Capela had a special kind of triple-double of 13 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks.
Clint Capela makes debut in a Hawks jersey
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.
Waiting game continues for eventual Clint Capela Hawks debut
The Hawks are about the future. And they took a big step in that direction with the addition of center Clint Capela. On paper, at least. On the court, Capela hasn’t started his Hawks career yet. He’s had a good seat at games. But remains out, injured, not ready to make a difference for Atlanta yet. This as the season is around six weeks away from ending.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution:
The 25-year-old center has been battling a nagging right heel injury since late December, and it has relegated him to the sideline since the Hawks acquired him in a four-team trade deadline deal Feb. 5.
“I’m not here to sit on the bench and clap my hands,” Capela, officially diagnosed with a right calcaneus contusion and plantar fasciitis, said at practice Thursday. “My job is to go out there and play and be dominant, as dominant as I can (be). So when I don’t do that, it’s hard.”
The Hawks (19-44) are obviously hoping for the same thing — a starting-caliber, rim-running center who can rebound the ball and bolster the team’s poor defense. But as Capela rehabs, it’s looking more and more like that will come to fruition next season instead of this one (which might not be the worst thing, since the Hawks, looking to become a competitive, playoff-bound team, sit 14th out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference standings).
At this point, there’s no reason for Capela to rush back, other than to get a jump on building chemistry for next season.
Rockets re-sign center Clint Capela
The best-remaining free agent is off the market, and back where he likely belongs.
The Houston Rockets re-signed restricted free agent center Clint Capela today.
Capela has been an excellent fit on the Rockets, and the team re-sign the defensive-minded, undersized yet highly effective center if they wanted to continue as one of the very best teams in the league.
According to ESPN.com, it’s a a five-year, $90 million. And per ESPN, “had he instead signed a $4.3 million qualifying offer, he would have entered 2019 as an unrestricted free agent.”
Capela was selected by Houston with the 25th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He was runner-up for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award this past season after averaging career-highs of 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.85 blocks. Capela led the league in field goal percentage (.652) while ranking eighth in rebounding and second in blocks.
According to the Houston Chronicle, “Capela had been seeking a deal similar to the contracts received by Rudy Gobert (four years, $102 million) and Steven Adams (four years, $100 million). But those deals were in 2016 when the NBA cap spike sent contracts for free agents that summer skyrocketing. His deal exceeds those for other centers this summer.”
The 24-year-old recorded 42 double-doubles in 74 games played in 2017-18 after having a total of 25 in 154 games played across his first three seasons. The Rockets were 25-2 when he scored at least 15 points, including 11-0 when he scored 20 or more. Houston was also 36-5 when Capela had at least two blocks, including 21-0 when he had three or more.
During the regular season, Capela was the first player in NBA history to have averaged at least 13.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, and 1.80 bpg in fewer than 28.0 mpg. He was also the first player to have averaged at least 12.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, and 2.00 bpg in fewer than 31.0 mpg in a single postseason.