Horford: Money player
Oft-criticized center thrives in postseason
We generally found it humorous during the regular season when people couldn’t see the effect Al Horford was having on the Celtics. He may not have been body-slamming the stat sheet, but his fingerprints were all over the improvement of others.
With a free agent deal that got him $26,540,100 for 2016-17, his detractors were looking for numbers. Big numbers. Give us numbers. No matter that the Celts had not one whit of buyer’s remorse.
But if it’s value you seek, the chorus of critics has to have taken a U-turn in these playoffs that continued with yesterday’s 123-111 Game 1 victory over Washington. After scoring nine of his 21 points in the fourth quarter — including seven straight when the Wizards had crawled back within four — he’s now averaging 16.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 7 assists for the postseason.
And get this: The Celtics aren’t paying him a cent. True fact. Players are paid in the postseason only from the NBA pool. Some players have playoff bonuses, but in that he’s on a maximum contract, he isn’t eligible for one.
Ladies and gentlemen, we give you Al Horford: certified bargain.
Over his last five games, since Amir Johnson was pulled from the starting lineup and Horford was moved to center, he’s hit 36-of-54 shots from the floor (66.7 percent). Yesterday he canned 10-of-13 to go with his nine rebounds and 10 assists. In the fourth quarter, he went 4-for-4, including a large 3-pointer and had two boards and two assists.
“He’s one of the best allaround bigs in the league,” a shrugging Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. “He’s probably in the top two or three passing bigs in the league, and he shoots 3’s, so he’s a problem. You have to figure out the best way to maintain what he brings to the team. But he definitely causes problems because he can step all the way out to the 3 and he can put the ball on the floor, and, you know, he’s a great passer. Ten assists from your 5 spot doesn’t happen often.”
What is happening more often is that Horford is making opponents pay for loading up on Isaiah Thomas. And even when Isaiah is not on the floor, Horford is being more assertive with his looks to the rim.
Horford acknowledged the Thomas factor and added it’s “also the fact that it takes time for a new player to get comfortable in a system and things like that.
“I know the people expect for you to come in and just kill, and not every player can do that,” he said. “There are some guys that can, and credit to them, but usually it takes a while, and I’m starting to feel more comfortable. The guys are making the game easy for me, and I’m trying to do the same for them.”
No one is more grateful than Thomas, who scored just two points in the fourth quarter yesterday. The King of the Fourth doesn’t have to be that anymore for the Celtics to win.
“It’s a lot of help,” said Thomas, emphasizing his S’s slightly with his left front tooth having been knocked out early in the game. “I mean, there’s times throughout the game where I don’t even bring the ball up. We let Al do it, because we know he’s going to make the right play. He has a high basketball IQ , and I’ve said it since Day 1. Even if he’s not scoring the ball, even if he’s just out there, he allows everybody to be their best. He spaces the floor, he knows where guys are going to be, and on both sides of the floor, he’s a really high-level player.”
As for Horford essentially averaging two points, two rebounds and two assists better in the playoffs than regular season, Thomas said, “That’s just how it is. I think they’re trying to take me out of the game, pressure me full court, and Al is like another point guard. He can bring it up and start the offense.
“That’s what we seen out of him last year, and we wanted him so bad because he’s so versatile.”
Coach Brad Stevens spent much of the season trying to explain why a 14.3 point career scorer wasn’t averaging 25 now that he’s making so much money, but Horford’s game now offers the only testimony needed.
“He’s just been so impactful for us all year,” Stevens said yesterday. “Obviously he’s playing at the 5 right now, so he’s stretching the floor a little bit for us. But kind of the ironic thing about him playing in the last five games there is all of the rolls he’s gotten and all the tip-ins he’s gotten. We need him to continue to be really good, whether he’s playing at the 4 or the 5. He’s a big part of our team. And the way he moves the ball for us, I think, is contagious, and I’ve felt that way ever since our first practice. Like, I just felt like we move the ball at a different level when he’s around and on the court.”
The fact is the Celtics have desperately needed what Horford provides in both his skill set and his calming presence.
“Well, he’s seasoned, that’s for sure, and he’s brings a lot of veteran leadership,” said Jae Crowder. “He’s been through a lot, and he’s just a professional. Each game, he takes what the game gives him. He doesn’t force it. He takes what the defense gives him, and he does it at a very, very high level. We, for sure, ride him a lot, and we depend on him a lot — and not just in the box score. Just his leadership alone is very key for our team.”
Twenty-one points, nine rebounds and 10 assists? That’s just part of the bargain.