When the Hawks roll out their starting lineup and organize their defense, Clint Capela is the keystone. He blocks shots. He alters shots. He gets steals. When an opposing ballhandler gets past the first line of defense, Clint steps up as the second line. In addition to all of that, Capela ends defensive possessions by grabbing rebounds. He does exactly what one expects from a traditional center anchoring a defense in the paint.
Last season, Capela finished sixth in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year. This season, through games played Thursday, he ranks third in the NBA in rebounds per game (12.