Houston Rockets: Breaking down the case for Clint Capela’s first All-Star bid

Clint Capela’s defense remains elite

One of the things that has remained Capela’s main calling card throughout his tenure with the Houston Rockets is his defense. His height and length, along with his elite athleticism, allow him to be a top-notch shot blocker.

He is a force to be reckoned with in the paint and that has been on full display so far this season. He is averaging two blocks, even, this year and is currently surging on the defensive end of the court. In the past four games, he’s blocked 15 shots in an extreme show of dominance. He’s also been able to have these career-high block numbers with relatively clean sheets, largely limiting the number of fouls he commits.

The blocks will likely always fill up his highlight tapes for his entire career as he typically soars to get them and when he touches them, they go flying. However, that’s not the only thing that makes him a truly elite defender in today’s NBA.

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The modern big man in the NBA is tasked with hitting the long-range shots just like any other player. Capela has not, and likely will not, add that to his game. So, he needs something else in his game to stay relevant and to earn big-time minutes. Luckily, he has that in his defensive versatility.

Capela, even as a 6’10 big man, has five position versatility on the defensive end of the court. He can, and has, shut down guards in a one-on-one situation and should be able to do that for years to come. Do you want him guarding a point guard all game? No, probably not. Can he more than hold his end when switches require it? Absolutely.

Capela will likely never win a defensive player of the year award. However, he has been able to transform himself into quite the anchor for this Houston Rockets team that has quietly turned in a top-five defensive performance so far this season.

Clint Capela should, without a doubt, represent the Houston Rockets in the NBA All-Star game this season if he continues his high level of production this season. He has played tremendously well thus far and is a big reason for the recent resurgence the team has displayed.