I'm still trying to figure out why is Horford so important to this team when he doesn't put up gaudy numbers. It's very weird but it reminds me of KG.
He just seems to allow every to go play their normal positions. You can run offense through him and he's a great passer. Is it really that simple??
I'm just shocked that it affects the team in such a way that they look like a totally different team. Then when you have him and AB on the court with the team becomes even more efficient. Our best lineup is IT, Smart, AB, Crowder and Horford...very small but the defense is stifling.
Does anyone know why Horford is so critical to this team?
Horford is an offensive creator with the pass. The only other guy on the team that can consistently create quality looks for teammates is IT. He also has a high basketball IQ, if you look at where he moves on the court, it always results in him drawing defenders away from his teammates and thus creating better shots for them. Al is one of the best screeners in the game, his screens create shots.
Horford brings shot creation, spacing and great screens to the Celtics he is the motor oil that makes every part of the Celtics machine run more smoothly.
Yup. I think if you really sit and watch him you can see how he makes smart plays just constantly. He also makes great passes like you say but they don't look flashy like your top PGs do so he gets little credit when I think he's clearly been the best big man passer in the league this year (not counting Draymond who is a small ball PF, not an actual big).
Smart has done a good job stepping up but I think Al Horford is the second passer/facilitator on the team behind IT. He just does it with his back to the basket and sometimes as simple of plays as screen hand offs. It's a great example that screen setting still matters.
To really appreciate him I think you have to see what he does and other big men don't do.
My only complaint is though I like his facilitator role there are times where he could put his head down and go to the basket. I think Olynyk shows the kind of thing (he had a beautiful fake hand off to drive and dunk last night) Al could do more in those plays when he fakes hand offs and drives himself. Al just sometimes gets into "I'm not shooting mode" when he has the ball and if he switched it up more he could keep the defense on its toes and make the team harder to defend.
Topic: Horford is playing tonight (Read 1293 times)