The Atlanta Hawks are severely depleted right now and it just got worse. Big man Clint Capela sustained a calf strain on Wednesday night in a loss to the Orlando Magic and will now miss 1-2 weeks, as a result, said the team on Thursday afternoon.
Capela left the contest early with the injury and didn't return, playing 22 minutes and putting up 16 points before exiting. Calf injuries can be tricky. One can only hope he's not out too long. The Swiss center is averaging 12.1 points and 12 rebounds per night in 2022-23 for the 14-15 Hawks, who can't catch a break lately.
Two of their best players, Dejounte Murray and John Collins, are both sidelined with ankle sprains and there is no timetable as to when they'll return. Franchise star Trae Young has been dealing with some back soreness lately as well and sat out Monday's contest against the Memphis Grizzlies, which ended up being a massive blowout defeat.
The Hawks are very low on depth at the moment but with Capela out, Onyeka Okongwu should step into the starting lineup for the time being. He had 15 points and 11 rebounds versus Orlando. Hopefully, he can continue to step up with an increased workload.
Atlanta is back in action Friday night in Charlotte against LaMelo Ball and the Hornets before Orlando comes to Georgia for a matchup on Monday evening. With a 3-7 record in their last 10 games, Nate McMillan's squad desperately needs some wins. That being said, it won't be easy with numerous key guys missing. Time for Trae to carry the load.
Follow Us
Subscribe