Atlanta Hawks: Looking at the backstory and reason for Clint Capela’s comments

The Atlanta Hawks are on the verge of qualifying for the second round of the playoffs. They hold a 3-1 lead over the New York Knicks but have to go into Madison Square Gardens for the fifth game of the series.

There has been some tension in this series which has certainly spiced it up. There is the famous incident in the first game where Trae Young put his finger to his lips to quieten the crowd who had been chanting obscenities at the Hawks point guard after hitting the game-winner. Then the New York mayor called out Young as a foul-baiter.

Then in the second game, the Knicks ramped up the physicality which took the Hawks by surprise and this cost them the win in this game. Then in the third game, Reggie Bullock needed to be separated by the large body of John Collins from Young as he was trying to intimidate them.

The Atlanta Hawks have started responding like for like

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Then in the fourth game, the Hawks started getting their own fouls which the Knicks did not seem to appreciate. Kevin Huerter was knocked off his feet and when trying to get up appeared to grab at Nerlens Noel’s leg. This was assessed as a flagrant foul, penalty one.

Then when trying to stop while going along the baseline< Danilo Gallinari put an elbow into the back of Reggie Bullock, appearing to hurt him. In response, Julius Randle shoved Gallinari on the next play, earning himself a flagrant foul, penalty one. The Hawks crowd also chanted at Randle when he was on the free-throw line. They only said one word, “Over-rated.”

This has led to the Hawks center Clint Capela speaking out through the media about if the Knicks can play dirty, then the Hawks can play dirty. If the Knicks talk smack, then the Hawks can talk smack. What the Hawks are going to do is send them on holiday.

While this could be seen as simple trash talk, Capela is drawing attention to the fact that the Knicks are potentially going to bring the fifth game down to their level. The Hawks are playing good basketball and this is why they are winning.

Now that he has publically aired what the Knicks are potentially going to do, given how much of a cauldron the Knicks home court can be. He has given the heads up to the referees meaning that they will be on alert for any plays which are not related to basketball. The playoffs are won on the court but the battle is also worked out off the court too.