Watch: Hawks center pulls off defensive play of the year
Hawks fans have to be wondering where this has been all season.
Center Clint Capela came away with what has to be the best defensive play in the NBA this year on a behind-the-back steal against the Wizards on Wednesday.
Washington guard Jordan Goodwin drove into the paint but had nowhere to go once he git under the basket and he tried to wrap a pass behind Capela's back.
While in midair, Capela extended his right arm behind his back, palmed the ball and secured it against his hip.
The incredible defensive play is a bit of a shock to see from a team that's struggled on defense this season. The Hawks are 24th in points allowed per game (117.9) and are 22nd in steals per game (6.9).
And among Atlanta players, Capela's defensive rating (116.6) is tied for worst with Bogdan Bogdanovic despite Capela building a reputation as a strong defender prior to this season.
The Hawks have been stubbornly mediocre this year but Capela's steal was exceptional. They'll need more of that kind of effort as they gear up for the play-in tournament.
With their 134-116 win over the Wizards and the Raptors' 97-93 loss to the Celtics, Atlanta moved up to eighth in the Eastern Conference and is 1.5 games behind Miami for seventh.
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