Al Horford is one of the NBA’s most trusted veterans. Previously hailed by former teammate Jaylen Brown as “Old Connector,” Horford has been impactful at every stop in his career; this is no different with the Warriors.
After struggling offensively to start the season and dealing with a persistent sciatic injury, Horford has been a staple of the Warriors’ rotation. The problem for the Warriors: the team has become overly reliant on the soon-to-be 40-year-old.
Al Horford’s Productivity
After Al Horford made his return on Christmas Day, he has found rhythm with the Warriors. He has averaged 9.5 points, to go along with 2.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds in the 26 games since then. His 22-point outing against the Nuggets was the first time he scored 20 all season, and just the third time he has scored at least 15 points.
His first 15+ point game came the week prior, in a nail-biting one-point victory against the Grizzlies. Horford isn’t just putting up empty stats; his production has been vital in their wins. Without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Kristaps Porzingis, every contribution from Horford has felt significant.
With 29.3 seconds to go and the Warriors down one against Memphis, De’Anthony Melton won a jump ball. He tipped the ball out to Horford, who went up for a layup, but missed. Horford snatched his own rebound, falling on the floor. He found Gui Santos to dunk the ball home and give the Warriors the lead, ultimately securing the win.
Against the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets on Feb. 22, Horford lit up opposing defenses by connecting on six of his seven three-pointers. Considering the team was without Curry, Butler, and Porzingis, Horford was crucial in pulling off the upset. He also became the oldest center in NBA history to knock down at least five three-pointers in a half.
Warriors Need Al
Not only has Al Horford’s offensive game been noteworthy, but so has his defense. At 39 years old, the 6-foot-9 big man has shown that he is still a formidable shot blocker and paint presence. The Warriors needed Porzingis to bolster the Warriors in the size and length department; however, he has only played one game since joining Golden State. He has battled a list of injuries for the last few years, most recently a mysterious illness, preventing him from gaining any consistency on the court.
Horford’s value has increased tenfold in the absence of Porzingis. The Warriors hoped Porzingis could be their starting center. But Horford has now filled that slot because of his injuries. At the very least, the center load would have been shared between the two.
The Warriors brought in Horford to supplement the talent of their stars. Instead, he has been asked to do more than expected. Between Draymond Green and Porzingis’ missed games, the burden of defensive anchor and stretch big has fallen onto him.
Steve Kerr doesn’t intend to play him on both sides of back-to-backs because of his age. Preserving him for the long gauntlet of a potential playoff run is more important to Kerr than pushing his body in the regular season.
His steady presence and impressive play have caught the attention of his younger teammates. The work ethic and basketball IQ of the NBA champion have garnered respect from those in the locker room.
“To have a guy like Al, we know he’s 39 years old, but he’s still playing like he’s 20,” Santos commended. “He’s great, I love him… We could not have a better example on the team than Al.”
Don’t Wear Out Al
Al Horford’s positive contributions are a welcome sight for a team that had been waiting for him to get going. But offensively and defensively, the Warriors need Horford more than they would like to admit. The role he signed up for was to be the fourth or fifth-best player on most nights. Now, he has taken on a much larger role that may not be sustainable in the long run.
His minute averages have seen a slight uptick since several of the team’s starters went down, but the Warriors must learn how to win games without Horford. His body won’t hold up forever, and he will likely miss a few more games down the road.
The Warriors wanted him to help the team win games; he has. But the Warriors should still be cautious of how much they spoon onto his plate.
The regular season isn’t over just yet; they could still surprise a few teams.
And the Warriors may just find themselves needing him in April.
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