Hawks C Clint Capela reportedly to have MRI after knee injury in play-in win
The Atlanta Hawks entered the NBA play-in tournament without starting power forward John Collins. Now, they may be without starting center Clint Capela.
The big man exited Friday's play-in game with a right knee hyperextension in the final minute of the first half.
On the play, Capela grabbed Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley from behind as he was shooting in the paint. Mobley fell backward into Capela's legs, appearing to hyperextend the veteran's right knee. Capela immediately fell to the ground, holding his knee in clear pain.
Capela's bad foul backfires in the WORST possible way. UGH. pic.twitter.com/e16jkQjXy3
— Matt Petersen (@TheMattPetersen) April 16, 2022
Officials reviewed the play to determine if Capela committed a flagrant foul, but determined it to only be a common foul. Capela was helped to the Hawks' locker room during the review. Moments later, the Hawks announced Capela would not return.
The Hawks rallied in the second half to score a 107-101 win after trailing by 10 at halftime. Unsurprisingly, the comeback was engineered by Trae Young, who finished with 38 points and nine assists. The Hawks earned the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the top-seeded Miami Heat with the first-round series beginning Sunday.
Losing Capela for any period of time would be significant for the Hawks. He is expected to get an MRI on Saturday, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
There’s initial optimism that Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela hasn’t suffered significant right knee damage, but an MRI on Saturday will determine extent of possible injury, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 16, 2022
Capela averaged 11.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game during the regular season, shooting 61.3% from the field.