Atlanta starting center Clint Capela left the Hawks’ elimination play-in game against the host Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night with a hyperextended right knee and will undergo an MRI exam.
Capela, 27, played 13 minutes and totaled seven points on 3-of-3 shooting and eight rebounds before getting hurt with 30.7 seconds left in the second quarter. Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, fouled from behind by Capela, tumbled into Capela’s leg.
The team announced after the game that Capela would have an MRI exam in Miami, where the Hawks will open the playoffs on Sunday as the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed against the top-seeded Heat. Atlanta defeated Cleveland 107-101 on Friday night.
Capela was Atlanta’s leading rebounder this season at 11.9 boards per game. He also averaged 11.1 points and 1.3 blocks per contest over 74 games (73 starts).