The Rockets have gotten by without Clint Capela in the paint the past month — they have gone 9-6 without him, thanks to James Harden being a beast — but they are not the same. Capela and Harden have a connection, and in the five games before he injured his thumb and had to sit out Capela averaged 19.6 points on 59.7 percent shooting, pulling down 11.4 rebounds a game, and they were +7.6 per game with him on the court.
Thursday night against the Lakers, the Rockets are expected to get him back, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Rockets center Clint Capela is returning to practice today after missing 15 games due to ligament damage in his right thumb. Barring a setback, he's expected to play Thursday against the Lakers.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 20, 2019
Expect it to take a couple of games to get his legs fully back under him, but swapping out Kenneth Faried’s minutes for Capela’s is going to be a significant upgrade.
A fully healthy Rockets team, with Chris Paul back in the lineup as well, can make a push through the end of the season, and come the playoffs cannot be discounted in the West. While Golden State is a clear favorite, Houston at its best can be a threat to Oklahoma City (or whichever team you think is second best in the West). Houston needs to improve their defense to be that threat, and getting Capela back healthy is a step in that direction.
