10:02pm: The team appears to be optimistic that Capela didn’t suffer a major injury, but he’ll undergo an MRI on Saturday to determine if there’s any structural damage, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter).
8:02pm: Hawks center Clint Capela suffered a hyperextension of his right knee in Atlanta’s play-in contest against Cleveland and has been ruled out for the remainder of the game, the team announced (via Twitter).
The injury occurred in the second quarter of the game. After an Evan Mobley pump-fake, Capela fouled Mobley, who then fell backwards into Capela’s right knee, bending it backwards while it was planted.
It was a scary looking injury and Capela immediately went down in pain, grabbing his knee. He had to be helped back to the locker-room with the assistance of teammates.
Atlanta trailed 61-51 at halftime of the contest, which will determine the No. 8 seed in the East. Capela’s absence could be a devastating blow for the Hawks, who were already playing without John Collins, the team’s normal starter at power forward.
Second-year big man Onyeka Okongwu is starting in place of Capela in the second half and figures to see heavy minutes in his absence. Little-used backup Gorgui Dieng could also receive some playing time with Atlanta’s frontcourt shorthanded.
Onyeka made a huge defensive play at the end of the Cavs game just now to help us seal that W. Obv he’s gonna be expected to make a lot of plays in this Miami series, especially if Clint is out multiple games. Onyeka vs Bam would be an extremely interesting matchup tho. Bam is basically the prime version of Onyeka. Thr youngster is probably gonna make some mistakes but he’s also gonna make some winning plays & open some eyes up to his talent. My guess is that both Clint & John Collins will be back in the starting lineup by gm3 in Atl
I actually thought losing Capela helped in the matchup. I didnt watch the game yet, but on paper, it felt like it helped against Cleveland.
As a Heat fan, I’m nervous. I didnt like any of the possibilities for them after the Nets won the 7 seed. Cleveland was the worst matchup for them. Atlanta felt like it might be doable depending on who plays for Atlanta, rotation wise, and how it matches up with the Heat. John Collins should dominate in that matchup, if he is healthy, in my opinion, but I’ve seen them hold him down in a couple of games this year. I just feel like the Heat shouldnt be able to guard him. Either him or Gallinari, and Bogdanovic are going to be big deals in this series, in my opinion.
I think this might be a series where Oladipo is actually necessary, but regardless, the Heat need to knock down shots in this matchup, and they might have to consider lineups without a big at times in this series, barring unusual lineup decisions by Atlanta
As you know, I’m a big Okongwu fan from before his draft. I thought you disagreed with my Bam comp. I do think Okongwu has a currently better jumpshot, although that isnt something that comes into play too often, and Bam is also continuously improving in that area. Okongwu should get an opportunity in summer league to be more of a playmaker, in my opinion, b/c he is capable of it, and he just needs to continue to get stronger
…I should probably fill in where I said that I think its doable, but I haven’t liked this matchup for the heat for a couple of years
I’m pretty sure your opinion about Clint will change if you watch the game but tbh it should be obv even without watching the game that losing Clint Capela wouldn’t help us… You should def be nervous tho. Hawks were the worst matchup for y’all by far.. John Collins is currently hurt but like I said hopefully he’ll be back at some point in the series.. I def don’t know anything about you being a big Okongwu fan lol but I love to hear it. The boy is very underrated & not spoken of enough nationally but that may be about to change. Not sure where you get that I disagree about him & Bam being similar. You def weren’t the 1st to come up with that comparison. They’re extremely similar guys who’ve been linked together by many since Onyeka was in college, including by myself. I would highly disagree that his J is better than Bam tho. Onyeka has attempted less than 10 jumpers in his NBA career. Bam has a consistent J out to abt 15ft. O has a nice floater but no J in his arsenal yet. O is already a fairly competent playmaker tho. He’s able to kick out to shooters pretty much anytime he gets an off reb or meets multiple defenders in the paint. Main thing O been lacking is just pt & a starting role. Now that Clint is out for a few crucial games, I will get his shot
I’m not saying he isnt already capable of playmaking. I’m saying he needs more opportunity to continue to grow that part of his game. Bam played extra in summer league, as the Heat allowed him to get more reps as a playmaker, and bringing the ball off the rim in transition. I also said the jumper hasnt mattered that much yet, and Bam is continuing to improve. I should have said outside jumper more than just the jumpshot b/c ya, Bam is a lot more consistent with that in the mid range right now
The person that disagreed with me on the comp must have been someone else with a similar name, so my bad on that
I highly doubt that Onyeka will be playing in the summer league. Sort of a shame too considering he never got to play in the summer league
How is Capella’s pull-down not a flagrant?
Also okay was a shooter slamming an elbow into the stationary Jaret Allen.
*play-in basketball*
I don’t get how the offense is allowed a dangerous “natural motion” into the defender’s space— and face. Refs usually set aside verticality and regard the head as any other body part.
Some people do not seem to get where thinking comes from— they think thoughts are just them existing, unrelated to their own head, with working brain inside. I thought when women got involved with BB there would be new respect for faces in how the game was officiated… nope.
Flagrant has to be in the neck area … But it was obvious like most of the fools when players don’t play the ball …
Love didn’t get to play more than 1 minute in the 2nd half? Well, that didn’t work out!
Karma
Capela yanked Mobley down after play
And into his own patella!