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Clint Capela Will Not Play for Hawks vs. Grizzlies Because of Achilles Injury
April 7, 2021
Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela will miss Wednesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies with left Achilles soreness, the team announced.
Capela is posting 15.0 points on 59.2 percent shooting, with a league-leading 14.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game for the 27-24 Hawks.
The 26-year-old averaged 13.9 points on 62.9 percent shooting, 13.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game for the Houston Rockets in 2019-20, who traded him to the Hawks on Feb. 5 of last season.
Capela did not play for Atlanta last year as he recovered from plantar fasciitis and a bone bruise in his heel, per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
When healthy, Capela is a rebounding and blocking force down low who can routinely finish off his passes and lobs for easy buckets.
Without Capela, the Hawks usually have numerous options to fill his court time. One is playing power forward John Collins more at the 5, but Collins is also out with an ankle injury.
Instead, they can turn to rookie center Onyeka Okongwu.
Okongwu started in Capela's place when the big man missed a Jan. 24 game against the Milwaukee Bucks with right hand soreness, posting four points and three blocks. Okongwu has averaged 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.9 minutes per game this season.