Has Horford proven to YOU that he can play C??

[DavidSomerset]

For me, it is definitely a yes...Even though he is a bad ass PF also.

He has really surprised me with how good of D he has played against opposing Centers...Sure he has gotten roughed up a few times, but he is holding his own.

He is a rebounding MACHINE!!

[DrReality]

Hell yes.

[exodus]

Too simple of a question.

It is one thing to play 15 minutes a game as a backup C and another to play 30 minutes a game and starting at C. In either case the answer would be yes in your poll which is too simplistic.

[DavidSomerset]

Either you think he has shown you he can adequately play C in the NBA or not.

[exodus]

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Either you think he has shown you he can adequately play C in the NBA or not.

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That shouldn't even be the question.

The true question is can he play the majority of the minutes at center effectively for a contender? Of course he can play center adequetely for an average team.

He is obviously our best option at C with the current roster but that was basically a given before the season.

[DavidSomerset]

You said yourself that either way the answer would be yes.

[TheTruth]

jdu, you from the Falcons forum? If so, I remember you from there as well.

Anyway, I think it is still a little too early to see if he can be our long term answer to C. Has he shown me he can play Center for this team? Of course. Then again, it's not like he had any quality competition at C when he got here.

Let's see if he continues to progress throughout the season. I very much like what I have seen from him so far.

[DavidSomerset]

Yea man, that's me.

Are you "thetruth" on there also?

[TheTruth]

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Yea man, that's me.

Are you "thetruth" on there also?

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Indeed I am. The boards are so messed up there now. Oh well...

Anyway, I wish we could get a backup to Horford who could play some nice interior D--oh wait, we have one. His name is Solomon Jones, but Woody refuses to play him for whatever reason. I sure would love to know why...

[WraithSentinel]

I used to post at that board. Once the whole Vick thing went down. It was time to go. As for Horford yes he has proven he can play C in the NBA.

[gsuteke]

that's a better question. sure he can play C. But how far and deep into the playoffs can the Hawks go with him playing there full time?

[AlHorford]

He's built to play the 4, but he's adequate as a center.

[Nicholasp27]

a) he won 2 championships playing center

b) he's faced a lot of playoff teams thus far and fared well

i say he can play center for us 30+mpg in the playoffs until proven otherwise

if he was a 7' center putting up 8.9/10.4/1.2/1.2/1.1 on 53.2% fg in his first month in the nba (or in his 2nd/3rd year for that matter), nobody would question that he could be our center of the future

but because he's 6'10, people question it

[Hawk88]

I think for this team it makes sense for him to play center since Josh plays the PF position. The slots are filling up nicely.

And what about Sheldon as the backup center, the guys looks very wide.

Law bkkup Johnson

Johnson bkkup Childress, Mario

Marvin, bkkup Childress/Smith

Smith bkkup Sheldon

Horford bkkup Zaza/Sheldon/Jones

Looking pretty solid to me, not a lot of weak spots. Might need a combo pg/sg backup improvement.

But this roster looks pretty damn solid.

[exodus]

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if he was a 7' center putting up 8.9/10.4/1.2/1.2/1.1 on 53.2%

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The key problem with Horford at center is that he is going to be trying to defend much bigger players.If youve ever played against a guy 20-30 pounds heavier than you trying to back you down all game long you would know why Horford shouldn't be playing 30 minutes a game at center.

The other night i watched some of the Knicks-Celtics game. Curry struggled to get good shots against Perkins. Perkins isn't a great player but he has good size and is a good defender against big centers. Ideally i would like to see a guy like Perkins (instead of Zaza) splitting time at C with Horford.

Since Horford is seems comfortable hitting that midrange shot (again it is early) that means he should be able to score regardless of whether he plays the 4 or 5. Defense is the main issue.

[Johnnybravo4]

Since he was the strongest player in the draft he is probably the most equiped out of all of our players to handle the larger NBA players which come few and far between.

[exodus]

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Since he was the strongest player in the draft he is probably the most equiped out of all of our players to handle the larger NBA players which come few and far between.

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I haven't said Horford wasn't better than anyone on the roster. I have said we need to add someone to the roster who can handle bigger players so it won't all be on Horford to defend biggest post players on other teams.

[thesheedera]

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For me, it is definitely a yes...Even though he is a bad ass PF also.

He has really surprised me with how good of D he has played against opposing Centers...Sure he has gotten roughed up a few times, but he is holding his own.

He is a rebounding MACHINE!!

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I voted yes, but I agree that the question doesn't reveal as much as it could if there were more options. It's a conditional "yes".

Horford has proven he can play center.

Horford has yet to prove he can play center well enough to help a team become a contender. From what I've seen so far, I won't be surprised if eventually he proves that too, but so far it hasn't happened yet.

I'll say this, I'm more optimistic now than I was on draft night that Horford MIGHT be our long term center.

[gsuteke]

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if he was a 7' center putting up 8.9/10.4/1.2/1.2/1.1 on 53.2%

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The key problem with Horford at center is that he is going to be trying to defend much bigger players.If youve ever played against a guy 20-30 pounds heavier than you trying to back you down all game long you would know why Horford shouldn't be playing 30 minutes a game at center.

The other night i watched some of the Knicks-Celtics game. Curry struggled to get good shots against Perkins. Perkins isn't a great player but he has good size and is a good defender against big centers. Ideally i would like to see a guy like Perkins (instead of Zaza) splitting time at C with Horford.

Since Horford is seems comfortable hitting that midrange shot (again it is early) that means he should be able to score regardless of whether he plays the 4 or 5. Defense is the main issue.

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The point those of us who are being viewed as Anti-Horford are trying to make is yes Horford can adjust to matchup fairly adequately against most NBA Centers.

However wouldn't it make alot of sense to use him at PF next to an adequate C so he can create mismatches in our favor as opposed to playing "catchup" to what other teams are throwing at us?

I can't think of many here who don't like Horford. I think alot of us believe Horford could be better used pushing other team's big men around vs. having to match up against physically bigger guys.

[thesheedera]

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if he was a 7' center putting up 8.9/10.4/1.2/1.2/1.1 on 53.2%

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The key problem with Horford at center is that he is going to be trying to defend much bigger players.If youve ever played against a guy 20-30 pounds heavier than you trying to back you down all game long you would know why Horford shouldn't be playing 30 minutes a game at center.

The other night i watched some of the Knicks-Celtics game. Curry struggled to get good shots against Perkins. Perkins isn't a great player but he has good size and is a good defender against big centers. Ideally i would like to see a guy like Perkins (instead of Zaza) splitting time at C with Horford.

Since Horford is seems comfortable hitting that midrange shot (again it is early) that means he should be able to score regardless of whether he plays the 4 or 5. Defense is the main issue.

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The point those of us who are being viewed as Anti-Horford are trying to make is yes Horford can adjust to matchup fairly adequately against most NBA Centers.

However wouldn't it make alot of sense to use him at PF next to an adequate C so he can create mismatches in our favor as opposed to playing "catchup" to what other teams are throwing at us?

I can't think of many here who don't like Horford. I think alot of us believe Horford could be better used pushing other team's big men around vs. having to match up against physically bigger guys.

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Which brings us right back to the small forward log jam.

As difficult it is to watch Smith's decision making from time to time, he HAS to be on the floor for us. Johnson clearly has to as well, and it's looking like Acie could be there pretty soon.

Marvin and Childress are essential to this team, but not as essential as those 4 because we have so much depth and talent at their position.

If we want tio maximize Horford's potential and play him at PF, we need to deal one or more out of the Smith-Marvin-Childress group to get a legit center. If we can't get that legit center, we need to proceed with the Zaza-Horford-Shelden rotation.