The NBA Has A Clint Capela & Alperen Şengün PROBLEM

The NBA Has A Clint Capela & Alperen Şengün PROBLEM

The Houston Rockets just made moves that have everyone talking about Kevin Durant joining the team, and rightfully so. The Slim Reaper is an all-time NBA legend. Most analysts are breaking down how KD’s scoring will transform their offense, and casual fans are already penciling them in as title contenders because they added a future Hall of Famer. But here’s what nobody’s talking about. The real story isn’t just about Kevin Durant. It’s the most terrifying front court combination the NBA has seen in a while. And the block party is about to get started in Houston this year. While everyone’s obsessing over KD’s 28 points per game, they’re completely missing the Twin Towers 2.0 that’s about to make the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder switching defense quite possibly fall apart. Clint Capella, a rebounding machine who averaged 11.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. Paired with Alprin Shenun, a 610 genius who plays like Manui meets Pal Gasaw. When Capella sets screens for Durant or rolls to the rim off Shenun’s passes, Chad Holgrren at 195 lbs simply doesn’t have the physicality to handle it. OKC’s championship formula was built on switching and versatility, but Houston’s size is about to force them into uncomfortable positions all series long. This isn’t just about having good players. This is about exposing a fundamental flaw in how modern basketball is played. And when you see how this front court creates cascading mismatches that the defending champions can’t solve, you’ll understand why the entire league has a serious problem on their hands. Let’s start with what makes this pairing so special. Because when you really break down what Clint Capella and Alprin Shenun bring to the table, you realize Houston just solved basketball. Capella is coming off one of the most dominant rebounding seasons we’ve seen in years, including 4.5 offensive rebounds. That’s nearly five extra possessions per game just from his rebounding alone. But it’s not just the numbers, it’s how he gets those rebounds. Capella has this incredible ability to anticipate where the ball is going to bounce. He studies shooters, understands angles, and positions himself perfectly to clean up misses. When you watch him play, you’ll notice he’s already moving toward the rebound before the shot even hits the rim. That’s basketball IQ combined with elite athleticism. Defensively, he’s got a 76 wingspan and the timing to make life miserable for anyone trying to score in the paint. But here’s what makes him special. He doesn’t just block shots, he controls them. Instead of swatting balls into the stands, he redirects them to teammates, turning defense into instant offense. Now, pair that with Alprin Shenun, and things get absolutely ridiculous. Now, imagine these two players on the court together. You’ve got Capella cleaning up every mess, blocking shots, and running the floor in transition. And you’ve got Shenun orchestrating the offense from inside the paint, creating easy looks for everyone and providing a completely different dimension with his passing and basketball IQ. Their games complement each other perfectly. When Shenun draws defenders with his playmaking, it creates easy opportunities for Capella to slip to the rim for lobs and putbacks. When Capella crashes the offensive glass, it gives ShenGun more space to operate in the post. Defensively, they can switch between different coverages seamlessly. Capella can anchor the paint while Shenun steps out to guard pick and rolls, or they can both stay home and create an impenetrable wall around the basket. With their combined length and basketball IQ, they’re going to make scoring in the paint nearly impossible. And in transition, Capella running the floor with Shenun pushing the pace and making perfect outlet passes is going to create easy buckets all game long. But wait, we haven’t really talked about Kevin Durant yet. The Rockets just added one of the greatest scorers in NBA history to this already dominant front court, and the implications are staggering. Durant brings elite shooting, clutch scoring, and championship experience to a team that was already incredibly talented. But more importantly, he provides the perfect compliment to Capella and Shenun’s games. With Durant spacing the floor, it’s going to be even harder for teams to send help at ShenGun in the post. And when Durant inevitably draws double teams, Shenun’s passing ability means he’ll find the open man every time. Meanwhile, Capella will be feasting on offensive rebounds because defenders will be too focused on Durant and Shenun to box him out properly. This creates a nightmare scenario for opposing defenses. Do you double Durant and give ShenGun easy looks? Do you send help at Shenun and leave Durant open? Do you focus on Capella and let the other two cook? There’s no good answer. Perhaps the most terrifying aspect of this Houston lineup is the sheer size. When you have Capella at 610 with a 76 wingspan, Shenun at 610, and Durant at 611, you’re looking at a front court that’s going to tower over most teams in the league. This size advantage isn’t just about height. It’s about length, reach, and the ability to contest every shot. When Houston goes to their big lineup, they’re going to have three players who can alter shots, grab rebounds, and create mismatches all over the court. Think about what this means for opposing offenses. Every drive to the basket is going to be contested. Every shot in the paint is going to be challenged. Every rebound is going to be a battle. Teams are going to have to completely change their offensive approach just to deal with Houston’s size. Now, let’s talk about how this Houston lineup matches up against the defending champion, Oklahoma City Thunder, because this is where Clint Capella becomes the ultimate game changer that nobody’s talking about. OKC won the championship last year with a lineup built around speed, athleticism, and versatility. She Gilgis Alexander, Jaylen Williams, and Chad Pongrren are all incredibly talented players. But they’re about to face something they’ve never dealt with before. A Houston team that’s not just big, but strategically big in all the right places. Let’s break down why this matchup is going to be a nightmare for Oklahoma City. Starting with the most important factor. Clint Capella is going to absolutely destroy OKC’s front court. Here’s what makes Clint Capella such a gamecher in this specific matchup. OKC’s entire defensive identity is built around Cadet Homegrren’s rim protection and versatility. Homegrren is an incredible talent at 71, but he’s still only 195 lbs. When he has to deal with Capella’s physicality and relentless motor, something’s got to give. Against OKC’s smaller, finesseoriented front court, Capella’s numbers are going to explode. Homegrren has never faced a player with Capella’s combination of size, strength, and pure determination on the boards. But Capella isn’t operating in a vacuum. He’s got Kevin Durant spacing the floor. Alprren Shenun creating from the post and a supporting cast that’s generally very tall and wellsized. When OKC tries to help on Capella, they’re leaving elite shooters and playmakers open. When they don’t help, Capella is going to feast. Think about this scenario. Shenun posts up Holomgrren and draws a double team. The help comes from Isaiah Hartinstein or whoever OKC throws out there. ShenGun with his incredible court vision finds Capella rolling to the rim for an easy dunk. Now OKC has to decide. Do we keep sending help and give up easy buckets to Capella or do we let Shenun cook homegrren one-on-one? [Music] But Capella is just one piece of Houston’s size advantage. Look at this potential Houston lineup. Fred Van Vleet 6-0, Am Thompson 67, Kevin Durant 6’11, Jabari Smith Jr. 6’11, and Alprin Shengun 610. That’s an average height of nearly 6’8 across all five positions. Compare that to OKC’s championship lineup. SGA 66, Alex Caruso 6’5, Luke Dort 63, Jaylen Williams 66, and Cadet Homegrren 71. While Homegrren gives them height at center, Houston has significant size advantages at three different positions. This creates a cascading effect throughout the entire game. When OKC tries to switch on defense, which is a huge part of their defensive identity, they’re going to be giving up size mismatches constantly. Durant can post up smaller defenders. Shenun can shoot over switches, and Capella can simply overpower anyone who tries to guard him. One area where this Denver front court is going to absolutely annihilate teams is on the glass. Jookic averaged 12.4 rebounds per game last season, while Valenunis grabbed 7.7 boards in limited minutes. Put them together and you’re looking at a rebounding machine that’s going to control the glass like we haven’t seen since the days of Moses Malone. Against OKC specifically, this is going to be brutal. The Thunder Championship run was built on controlling pace and limiting second chance opportunities. Good luck with that when you’re facing two elite rebounders who can both finish anything that comes off the rim. Every missed shot becomes another possession for Denver. Every defensive rebound becomes a chance for Joic to push the pace and find teammates in transition. OKC’s guards are going to have to crash the boards just to stay competitive, which means less energy for their perimeter defense. It’s going to be a bloodbath. [Music] The center matchup between Shenun and Homegrren is fascinating, but it’s the addition of Capella that makes it impossible for OKC to handle. In a straightup matchup, Homegrren’s length and shooting ability could give Shenun problems. But when Houston goes to their Twin Towers lineup with both Capella and Shenun on the floor, OKC simply doesn’t have the personnel to match up. Isaiah Hartinstein is a solid backup center, but he’s not equipped to handle Capella’s athleticism and motor. Jaylen Williams can play some small ball center, but that just makes the size mismatch even worse. OKC’s entire frontcourt rotation is built around having one elite big man in Homegrren, not dealing with two elite big men who bring completely different skill sets. Defensively, this Houston front court is going to be absolutely suffocating. Capella and Shenun combined for over four blocks per game last season, but their impact goes far beyond just blocked shots. When you have two players with that kind of length and timing protecting the paint, it changes how opposing teams approach their offense. Drivers become more hesitant. Host players have to work harder for a position. Shooters have to get their shots off quicker. Both Capella and ShenGun have shown they can step out and guard smaller players on the perimeter, which means Houston can switch almost any screen without giving up a significant mismatch. Against OKC’s pick and roll heavy offense, this is going to be a huge advantage. SGA and Jaylen Williams love to attack switches and mismatches, but they’re not going to find many against this Houston defense. [Music] Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this Houston lineup is the offensive potential. When you combine Shenun’s playmaking with Capella’s finishing ability and Durant’s scoring, you’re looking at an offense that can attack you in multiple ways. Shenun’s ability to facilitate from the post is going to open up so many different looks. He can hit Capella on lobs and cuts. He can find Durant for open threes. He can create for role players when the defense collapses. And if none of those options are available, he can score himself. Capella’s presence on the offensive glass is going to create second chance opportunities all game long. His ability to run the floor in transition is going to lead to easy buckets when Houston forces turnovers or grabs defensive rebounds. Add Durant’s elite scoring ability to the mix and you’ve got an offense that’s nearly impossible to stop. Teams are going to have to pick their poison and every option is going to hurt. The Houston Rockets have created a problem that the rest of the NBA isn’t prepared to solve. The combination of Clint Capella and Alprin Shenun, enhanced by Kevin Durant’s presence, is going to force teams to completely rethink how they approach basketball. This isn’t just about having two good big men. This is about having two players whose games complement each other perfectly and create advantages that are nearly impossible to counter. When you add their size, skill, and basketball IQ together, you get a front court that’s going to dominate both ends of the floor. The defending champion Thunder are going to have their handsful trying to deal with this combination. The rest of the league is going to have to adjust their entire approach, and Houston is going to be sitting pretty with a lineup that’s built to win championships. The NBA has a Clint Capella and Alprin Shenun problem and there’s no easy solution. The only question now is whether the rest of the league can adapt fast enough to keep up. What do you think? Can any team match up with Houston’s Twin Towers? Is this the lineup that brings a championship to Houston? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this breakdown, make sure to hit that like button. Thanks for watching and we’ll see you in the next one.

The NBA Has A Clint Capela & Alperen Şengün PROBLEM
The Houston Rockets just flipped the script on the entire NBA. While everyone’s focused on big-name superstars, Houston quietly built a frontcourt duo that’s about to give the league serious nightmares.

Clint Capela is back—and he’s not alone. Standing beside him is the most unconventional, creative, and dominant young center in the game: Alperen Şengün. Together, they’re forming one of the most unpredictable big-man combos we’ve seen in years.

In this video, we break down why the return of Capela changes everything for Şengün… and how this pairing could unlock Houston’s playoff potential, disrupt offensive game plans, and create a new model for how bigs can work together in today’s NBA.

This isn’t just a Rockets story—this is a league-wide problem.

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