Capela sinks first 3‑pointer

Clint Capela made the first 3-pointer of his National Basketball Association career on April 12, ending a 739-game wait in Houston’s regular-season finale. (espn.co.uk) The shot came early in the fourth quarter of the Rockets’ 132-101 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, after Capela had missed his first seven career attempts from behind the arc, including one earlier that night. (espn.co.uk) Basketball-Reference lists Capela at 739 regular-season games and shows he finished the night 1-for-2 from 3-point range, with 23 points and 13 rebounds in 23 minutes. (basketball-reference.com) Capela is a 6-foot-10 center whose offense has mostly come at the rim since Houston drafted him with the 25th pick in 2014. Before Sunday, Basketball-Reference credited him with a career 0-for-7 mark on 3-point attempts. (basketball-reference.com) The game gave Houston room to indulge the moment. The Rockets had already secured the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference, sat Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr., and finished the season 52-30. (espn.co.uk) (espn.com) Houston’s playoff matchup was already set by the end of the night: the Rockets will face the No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers in the first round after the Lakers finished 53-29. (espn.co.uk) (espn.com) Capela’s reaction showed how unusual the play was. ESPN’s game recap said he raised his arms after the make and Houston’s bench stood and cheered. (espn.co.uk) The basket also landed in a season when Capela returned to Houston after earlier years with the Rockets and the Atlanta Hawks. His career line still reflects the same profile: high field-goal percentage, heavy rebounding, and almost no perimeter shooting. (basketball-reference.com) One made 3-pointer will not change Capela’s role before the playoffs. It did give a veteran center in his 12th season one stat line he had never had before. (espn.co.uk) (basketball-reference.com)