NBA Playoffs 2017: 5 things we learned from the Spurs beating the Rockets

3. Clint Capela proved himself

Clint Capela was selected with the 25th pick of the 2014 Draft by the Rockets. Capela had just turned 19 when he was selected and was coming out of the French basketball league. He was a relative unknown. Thankfully for the Swiss native, he had time to develop behind Dwight Howard for most of his first two seasons. Capela flashed during his brief moments on the court, including a successful run starting alongside Howard during portions of last season.

There were whispers out of Houston that the young Capela could be a better fit on a James Harden-led team than Howard. So when HOward left this summer, Capela was given a starting role. And despite missing portions of the season due to injury and splitting center minutes with Nene Hilario, he had a good season. Capela’s season averages of 12.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks don’t jump off of the page, but he was limited to 23.9 minutes per game. His per 36 minute averages of 19.0, 12.2, and 1.9 are much more impressive.

Capela is the perfect center for the Rockets and encapsulates the direction that the modern NBA center is headed. He plays similarly to DeAndre Jordan: most of his offense comes through simply finishing around the rim, which he does extremely efficiently. He finished third in the league in field goal percentage this season. Defensively, his mobility and length allow him to be a strong presence around the rim and track a high percentage of rebounds. These skills were shown during the Spurs series where he outplayed his regular season production. The series was a tough loss for the 23-year-old, but he proved that he could compete at the highest level. The Spurs series could represent yet another career stepping stone for the rising big.