Capela’s game praiseworthy

PORTLAND, Ore. — Averaging career highs for points and rebounds while matching last season’s career best for blocked shots, center Clint Capela believed it was time for another career first.

“I think I’m an All-Star,” Capela said before the Rockets lost 110-101 to the Trail Blazers on Saturday. “I think I’ve been playing at an All-Star level. My numbers are showing that. My team’s winning. I have a great impact on that. And of course, I think that

James ( Harden) is the MVP.”

Harden’s run might be obscuring Capela’s but in the seven games prior to Saturday’s against the Blazers, Capela had averaged 17.1 rebounds per game. He had 21 on Saturday. To Capela, the meeting with Portland center Jusuf Nurkic followed by Monday’s game against Denver and Nuggets star Nikola Jokic offer a chance to prove his point.

“I have to show that I am at that level,” Capela said. “I’m sure that I’m going to show it. I’m pretty confident in what I’m doing and what my team is doing. My teammates believe in me. I feel pretty good about that. I’m excited just about doing what I do. This is what the NBA is, every night play against the best players. This is what I work for.”

His career year has been built with the improved conditioning to take on the load of 34.2 minutes per game without sacrificing the energy that is key to his style of play. On Thursday, Capela played nearly 46 minutes, a career high, getting his third 20-20 game of the season with a career-high 29 points and 21 rebounds, production he said he would not have been able to maintain for that much playing time in the past.

“Probably not,” Capela said. “Definitely, my body feels way better. I feel stronger this year. I’ve been working on my body, especially for games like that.”

That has made Capela vital for the Rockets as they limit Nene’s playing time and allow Isaiah Hartenstein to work in the G League, but coach Mike

D’Antoni said it can make him more than valuable.

“That’s what’s key for him if he wants to be one of the all-time greats, make an All-Star team and all that, that he plays minutes, can sustain a level that he really doesn’t get tired,” D’Antoni said. “He’s come a long way from two seasons ago to where now you can count on him for 33, 32 minutes.

“We wouldn’t trade him for anybody. I think he’s playing at that (All-Star) level. I think he goes a little bit unnoticed because of what James does. When you’re getting 20-something rebounds, shooting 60, 70 percent, now he’s making his foul shots, he’s relentless and coming to set a pick and rolling, he’s one of the most valuable pieces we have.”

Capela was not among the top 10 Western Conference frontcourt players in the fan balloting announced Thursday. A poll of coaches picks reserves. D’Antoni notes tight West race

When the Rockets arrived in Portland on Friday, they were fourth in the Western Conference with the Trail Blazers fifth.

By the end of the evening, the Blazers’ loss to the Thunder dropped them to seventh, a reminder of how tightly packed the Western Conference race has been.

But the standings were not a topic either coach believed would be worth bringing up in the locker room before even the midpoint of the season, even if both admitted they check it every day.

“You (look.) And you try to hex everybody all the time,” Rockets coach Mike

D’Antoni said. “You look all the time. It’s human nature. It doesn’t change anything. You try to hone in on what your team can do. I don’t tell them (his players). I don’t think they know where we are.”

D’Antoni said he has seen similarly tight races, citing 2007-08 when he was in Phoenix, but had never seen the race as deep as it has been with 14 teams considering themselves playoff contenders.

“It’s a different discussion than in years past because of how competitive the West is this time,” Trail Blazers coach Terry

Stotts said. “Everybody has had their ups and downs.”