Atlanta Hawks: Clint Capela’s back is clearly worrying him

When the Atlanta Hawks lost to the New York Knicks, they suffered more than just a single game loss. Trae Young was carried off due to an ankle injury and Clint Capela had a really nasty fall onto his lower back.

This caused Capela to miss the next game against the Miami Heat which the Hawks won. Then Capela came back against the Milwaukee Bucks and battled through 34 minutes of action, collecting six points and fourteen rebounds in the win.

He then played the next game against the Detroit Pistons in a back-to-back where he had another double-double. Capela collected 12 points and 15 rebounds but was a shadow of the player he has been this season.

The Atlanta Hawks are missing the edge Clint Capela usually brings

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When I say that he is a shadow of the player, Capela is clearly restricted due to his back being sore. Against the Bucks, Capela only attempted six shots, hitting only two of them. Against the Pistons he took 16 shots, only connecting on six of them.

For a player who is shooting the ball at 59.2 percent from the floor this season, 8-of-22 is an appalling number. The problem is that when Capela is making moves to the hoop, he is not moving with his usual freedom, making him easier to stop.

On top of that, when he is shooting the ball he is not in his normal shooting action. One example of this was when Mason Plumlee blocked one of his shots in the paint to almost the half-court line, which led to an easy transition bucket for the Pistons.

Capela is such a crucial piece for this team. His presence in the paint is undeniable and he is also one of the premier vertical spacers in the league. The fact he is willing to give so much when his body is struggling speaks volumes about his commitment to the Hawks. Hopefully, as time goes by his pain will ease and we will see Capela return to his best.