3 goals for Atlanta Hawks big man Clint Capela

Goals for Atlanta Hawks big man Clint Capela No. 2) Be top-5 in blocks per game

In his first season with the Hawks, Capela was fourth in the NBA in blocks, averaging 2.0 per game. However, last season this number dropped alarmingly to 1.3 per game, which was only good for 14th in the league. While this was not entirely Capela’s fault, it still reflects on him.

The thing is that Capela has a career average of 1.5 blocks per game. This is good for ninth active and 67th all-time which shows just how good he can be. However, for the Hawks to be an elite team they need their big man to be in the top five in the league this season.

In order for this to be the case, the team requires defensive chemistry of a similar nature to two seasons ago. They had the likes of Tony Snell, Solomon Hill, and De’Andre Hunter when healthy and confident. These players knew where to move their direct opponent on the court to give Capela the best chance of blocking these shots.

It is not that Capela blocking shots is the key to the defense. It is everyone being on the same page and Capela knowing that his perimeter defenders know their assignment and can push their players a certain way. The additions that the Hawks have secured this offseason will be well equipped to make this happen.