Milwaukee Bucks: 3 matchups to watch for against Atlanta Hawks

Jan 24, 2021; Milwaukee, WI, USA (Nick Monroe/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports)
Jan 24, 2021; Milwaukee, WI, USA (Nick Monroe/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports)
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Apr 13, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA (Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports)
Apr 13, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA (Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports)

Can Milwaukee Bucks contain Clint Capela off the glass?

While the Bucks will be hard at work in trying to limit Young from pulling the strings for the Hawks’ offense, Clint Capela poses a different set of problem altogether.

Capela has anchored Atlanta’s interior and propelled them on both ends of the floor all season long. The Swiss international is averaging 15.4 points on 60 percent shooting from the field, 14.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks across 48 appearances on the year and he’s stepped up his game over the Hawks’ run after the All-Star break.

With his rim running expertise, Capela has formed a strong pick-and-roll tandem between himself and Young, as mentioned earlier. Capela’s size and motor on the glass gives him plenty of opportunities to clean up on both sides of the ball and he’s putting his best blocking stats, by both raw numbers and his 6.5 block percentage, of his seven-year career.

While Capela stands as a traditional center archetype, he certainly excels in the kind of role he plays now for the Hawks and previously with the Houston Rockets.

With Antetokounmpo having missed the Bucks’ last six games, it remains to be seen whether Milwaukee will have their prolific paint attacker that could go up against Capela.

Perhaps the biggest concern, though, is being able to withstand Capela on the glass. As their recent road swing out west showed at times, the Bucks’ rebounding dominance, particularly defensively, hasn’t carried over as years past over the Mike Budenholzer era. And Capela will surely test them in this department.