The Atlanta Hawks knew they were getting a good player when they traded for Clint Capela last season. He has produced for the Hawks in such a way that his numbers can be compared to some of the all-time great big men who have played the game.
His rebounding numbers are off the charts, he is leading the league in rebounds per game but it goes so much deeper than that. He is second in offensive rebounds this season and fourth in defensive rebounds, meaning that he is dangerous at both ends of the floor.
He is also converting his opportunities around the basket at 60.1 percent which is good for 11th in the league. Scarily this is below his career number which is 62.9 percent. This is the third-highest active field goal percentage in the entire league.
The Atlanta Hawks are getting Dikembe Mutumbo numbers from Clint Capela.
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Earlier in the season, Capela became the first member of the Atlanta Hawks franchise to bring down 15 rebounds in five straight games since Dikembe Mutombo did the same thing in 2001. It took 20 years for this accomplishment to be equaled.
Then in the game against the Indiana Pacers, Capela equaled one of the achievements of Mutombo again. He had his second game of the season where he had more than 20 points, 20 rebounds, and three blocks.
While the NBA is a little different in the 2020-21 season, where there are not Hall-of-Fame big men like David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal patrolling the paint anymore for Capela to deal with.
However, large numbers of rebounds for a single player on a regular basis are almost a thing of the past. Teams are putting a greater emphasis on all five players crashing the boards. This makes what Capela has achieved this season even more impressive.
Watch this space for more achievements from Capela this season. Something says that he is not done writing his name in the history books this season. If he can continue to match the achievements of a hall-of-fame player, the Hawks are in good hands