More Instant Reaction: Memo to Hawks, you have an All-Star Center

by The Human Highlight Blog on Nov 21, 2010 12:37 AM EST

Lord knows we've taken up for our fellow Gator before, but you could argue that for over 2 quarters Saturday night (and you could argue for most of this season so far) the Hawks have acted like they don't have an All-Star center.

I'm curious, do they think that Al Horford won a lottery last season and simply played the part of starstruck everyman when the rest of the All-Stars took their places last February?

Do the Hawks themselves believe it was merely a fluke selection or that he made it there based on some kind of academic test score he accomplished off the court? Was it charity?

All Al Horford has done is outproduce the relatively meager opportunities afforded him during his career in Atlanta. He has to wait behind every streaky shooter, unscrupulous shot philanderer, and ball dominating guard in line for honest-to-goodness offensive possessions.

Yet he has produced, time and time again, and in the biggest moments.

This season, Al has taken it to another level, not shy around the bigger players in the post, more refined in his post moves, and lethal with his outside shot. His production has been off the charts, and he's surely headed to marry last year's All-Star recognition with this season's.

Yet, for dozens of possessions at a time, the team doesn't see fit to center their offense around him, but instead treat it like a cherry on a jump shot sundae. Why?

Sure the Mavericks played zone against the Hawks, but isn't the way to beat a zone to get penetration inside, get the defense to collapse, and then kick the ball around for an open look? Are you trying to tell me that you couldn't get the ball to the top of the circle to Al and run plays for him to get inside? Seemed like, when all else had most certainly failed come the fourth quarter, that Al did just that. All he did, despite the ignortion heaped upon him, was score 20 points on 12 shots.

We asked the question recently, will the Hawks ever treat Horford in such a way that we see 30 or 40 points nights out of him? Not to get all hyperbole on you, but Al can be the Hawks version of Karl Malone if given the chance, but nobody seems to see him in that light. It's a shame, and the Hawks are a lesser team for it. Would any team with such a weapon treat it like it was so irrelevant to the team's success? On a team like, say, Utah, wouldn't they focus a good portion of their gameplan around making sure he used a lion's share of possessions?

What a waste.

Had the Hawks gotten as creative getting Horford the ball as they are in trying to find one of their guards more long 2 point misses, or in keeping Josh Smith satisfied by whipping the ball around the horn to find him with a 22 footer, we might have seen a different result Saturday night. You know, a different result than seeing another team with a winning record waltz off the Philips Arena floor with their own special set of highlights.

The Hawks needed to play with more urgency earlier than late in the third quarter to beat the Dallas Mavericks, and it's too bad they didn't see their own All-Star as a way to make that happen.

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I couldn't agree more..

As efficient as Horford is, I don’t understand why he doesn’t get more looks. I know there has been a debate over his minutes, but even within the limited minutes he sometimes gets, he’s usually treated as the 3rd or 4th option on offense when he can really be the centerpiece. He’s also unselfish and has a great basketball IQ, so it’s not like he won’t kick it out if he knows someone else may have a better opportunity of scoring.

On another note, I think we all grew to accept that Jamal is a streaky shooter but sometimes I wonder if he knows it himself, and I think he was the key to this loss. I love his game, but within this motion offense, it really hurts the team when you keep going one on one and jacking up long distance misses. Especially when the rest of the offense is clicking. That second half was a real head scratcher. Both Bibby and Jamal are streaky. Bibby was on, Jamal wasn’t. But for some reason, Bibby sat out most of the second half and Jamal seemed to be the go to guy. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. I think that was one thing Woody was good at. If he knew Jamal was having an off night, he wouldn’t give him as many minutes. On the other hand, I gotta give Drew props for putting JC2 in. He actually believes in his young players and wants to develop them, and in turn, they’re making the best of the opportunity.

But back to what you were saying. I really hope Horford does make the All Star team again this year, and even though he plays out of position and may be undersized for his current role, I agree, he’s a great Center, and easily one of the best Centers in the league. I don’t know what the future holds for him in terms of what position he’ll play, but it seems like he’ll dominate either way. He always plays hard, plays smart, keeps improving his game and he’s been playing with the confidence of a veteran since the first game of his rookie year. He’s really a special player, and we’re lucky to have him on this team. How many Centers can lead the fastbreak like he does? It’s funny though, because most non-Hawks fans always think Joe Johnson and Josh Smith are the only All Star caliber players on this team because Horford never makes the ESPN highlight reel. All he does is give it his all during every possession without trying to be flashy and risking turning the ball over. That’s why I never liked players like Iverson and Marbury. I’m sure they practiced fancy crossovers all day, but they never understood what it took to win and lead a team, yet they made plenty of All Star appearances. Horford understands how to play the game the right way to benefit the team and the overall outcome of the game. The league can really use more guys like Al Horford, and I hope the coaches recognize that again this year and vote him in as a reserve because he sure as hell isn’t getting voted in by the fans. The All Star game turned into a popularity contest. I swear, if T-Mac gets voted in as a starter for the East this year, I think I’m gonna have to boycott the All Star game until they change the voting process, but that’s neither here nor there.

by NYCHawksFan on Nov 21, 2010 4:47 AM EST reply actions

Well said, sir

by The Human Highlight Blog on Nov 21, 2010 8:22 AM EST up reply actions

Yep. Free Al. And trade Jamal. He’s useless in a motion offense and Jordan is ready.

by redwards95 on Nov 21, 2010 6:41 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Jordan sure looked good...

…but he’s not at Jamal’s level….yet.

by The Human Highlight Blog on Nov 21, 2010 8:24 AM EST up reply actions

Need to feed the Lion more

And can not keep him out for extended minutes like happened in 2nd quarter. Keep him out and lose the lead as the bench is proving over and over vs. good teams.

Time to seriously seriously seriously consider a trade. Need improvements on the bench, or as soon as Lion and Smoove come out, there goes the lead. Do whatever possible to trade Zaza and Jamal for Ben Wallace and T-Prince. Throw Marvin in there as sweetner if they need it. Time for Lion and Smoove to speak up and tell management we need help on the bench. JJ will never talk.

As Drew, new coach or not, why keep Jamal in there for so long, when he can not, or may be is unwilling to make shots? Why did you keep Bibster out so long in the last quarter with 4 fouls, when he is the only reliable outside shooter. Still having a major headache. This core needs to be broken into pieces. Go Falcons

by ATLpaul on Nov 21, 2010 7:09 AM EST reply actions