In first return visit, Atlanta’s Clint Capela gets tribute video from Rockets

Capela didn’t play in Atlanta’s first visit to Houston since the February 2020 trade, but he did receive a tribute video and fan ovation.

For the first time since the February 2020 trade that sent him from the Rockets to Atlanta, veteran big man Clint Capela made his NBA return when the Hawks visited Houston on Tuesday night. Now 26 years old, Capela played nearly six seasons with the Rockets after being selected in the first round of the NBA’s 2014 draft.

Capela was questionable going into the game with left heel pain, and ultimately, he did not play. He did, however, make the trip with his teammates and watched from the bench, and he received a nice ovation from approximately 3,500 socially distanced fans at Toyota Center.

Capela began his Houston tenure as backup behind Dwight Howard before ultimately taking over the center position and becoming an upper-tier starter. In six seasons, Capela averaged 12.2 points (63.4% FG), 9.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game, and he also became known for work in the Houston community with his CC15 Foundation.

The Rockets qualified for the Western Conference playoffs in each of Capela’s six seasons with the team, and they were the only West team to win at least one playoff series in each of the last four seasons. In the first three of those runs, Capela was the starter at center.

Capela was ultimately traded for Robert Covington as part of an emphasis on 3-point shooting and defensive versatility, with Houston choosing to play without a traditional center. After the season, Covington was then dealt to Portland as part of a series of transactions that brought Christian Wood to Houston — effectively replacing Capela with Wood. While Wood has played very well in that role, the combination of his severely sprained right ankle and James Harden’s forced departure has transformed the Rockets from a perennial contender into one of the NBA’s worst teams.

This season, Capela is averaging 14.8 points, 14.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 29.5 minutes per game. Entering Tuesday, Capela ranked first in the NBA in rebounds, third in blocks, and ninth in field-goal percentage, and his improving Hawks (19-20) had won five straight games.

That’s in stark contrast to his old team, which is currently on a 16-game losing streak — its most since moving to Houston in 1971.

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