Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela has yet to play with his new team because of the heel injury he dealt with the Houston Rockets.

Speaking to Hawks reporters on Thursday, Capela revealed why he played hurt with the Rockets when he probably should have been resting:

“I was just dealing with it,” Capela said of why he kept playing, via The Athletic. “With Houston, there were a lot of injuries — you’re really just trying to go out there and play and trying to get the win. I had to learn how to deal with it and play through it. Sometimes, the first quarter was OK and the second quarter was OK. Then you come back in the second half and it’s super sore. You just go through it. I know a lot of players play hurt, especially when you’re on a team that expects a lot from you. It was an important year with my previous team. It was something that I really wanted to be a part of.”

Capela appeared in 39 games for the Rockets this season. He averaged 13.9 points, 13.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while shooting 62.9 percent from the field and 52.9 percent from the free throw line.

The Rockets signed Capela to a five-year, $90 million contract in the summer of 2018. The big man is making $14.9 million this season.

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Now 25 years old, Capela has career NBA averages of 12.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 334 appearances. He was the 25th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Capela will have an adjustment period mentally now that he’s with the Hawks. Atlanta has one of the worst records in the NBA, while the Rockets are one of the best teams in the West and have championship aspirations with MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook leading the charge.