ATLANTA (AP) — If Trae Young is the unquestioned star of the Atlanta Hawks, then Clint Capela is the backbone. A pretty good trash talker, too, as he displayed in an opening-round playoff victory over the New York Knicks. The burly, 6-foot-10 Swiss center has given the Hawks the gritty defensive presence they so desperately needed. Without Capela, it’s hard to envision Atlanta preparing for its first appearance in the Eastern Conference semifinals since 2016. They’ll face the top-seeded 76ers beginning Sunday in Philadelphia. The Hawks are again the underdog, but Capela is confident that his team can pull off another upset.
