Horford to play more PF next season

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Horford PF Edited August 7, 2010 by northcyde

[GameTime]

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic .- The Dominican Al Horford said Saturday that the upcoming NBA season will play more as a power forward with the Atlanta Hawks at center and not as in previous years.

"El nuevo coach Mike Drew me ha dicho que quiere que yo juegue como 'power forward' en la próxima temporada y no tanto como pívot.

So I am guessing a lineup of:

Bibby/Teague

JJ/Craw/Craw 2

Smoove/Marvin/Mo

Horford/Powell

Zaza/Collins

We need a center now.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

So I am guessing a lineup of:

Bibby/Teague

JJ/Craw/Craw 2

Smoove/Marvin/Mo

Horford/Powell

Zaza/Collins

We need a center now.

It doesn't make any sense to pass on Shaq, if the plan was to move Horford to PF. This just proves even more that they weren't going to pay the L-Tax for anybody. And they definitely weren't serious about Shaq. Oh well.

And I see that the link may be in Spanish for some of you . . but I have Google Translate installed on my computer, so it automatically changed it to English. Here is the English version:

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic .- The Dominican Al Horford said Saturday that the upcoming NBA season will play more as a power forward with the Atlanta Hawks at center and not as in previous years.

"The new coach Mike Drew told me he wants me to play as a 'power forward' in the next season rather than at center. I think that I can agree on a lot as a player because that's what I've been all my life," Horford told The Associated Press during a basketball camp organized for Dominican children between 12 and 17 years of age.

Details ...

The player of three years of experience in the NBA said that organizing such events was a dream I had for a long time.

"When I was young and grew up playing basketball I always wanted to participate in a camp like this, but never came (players) NBA to the country. Now I can make the dream of many young people," he said.

Participated in the camp figures such as former international basketball player BJ Armonstrong, Danny Karr, the Dominican Francisco Garcia and Horford's father.

Horford, 24, played 81 games last season with the Hawks and averaged 14.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, all as the pivot of the Atlanta organization.

The Hawks reached the second round of the NBA playoffs before being eliminated by the Orlando Magic and Horford had a good job for the set.

"I think with the new coach have fresh ideas for 2010-11, but the most important thing is to keep improving every year," he added.

The arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat and the renewal of contract Dwayne Wade makes this team a force in the Eastern Conference, but Horford is not losing sleep over the trio of stars from the Florida.

"Miami is a force that everyone should recognize, but the truth is that for me is a better team. They are two times we will go to Atlanta and Miami twice, is all. It is the same as any other team," he said.

What the Hawks need to go further than it did last year?

"I think it's going to take us to play better together. Last year we were very individualistic. To have a chance to win, we have to play as a team, how to play in college," he said.

[Jody23]

If this is true, then it's a good move. Playing Al all those minutes out of position was ridiculous and it was limiting his effectiveness. Playing him more at his natural spot will make him more comfortable and he will be, as a result, more effective. Playing with a bigger lineup will also help the Hawks rebound the ball better on the defensive end and that's key to being a good defensive team. Kudos to L.D. if he decides to play Al more at the 4.

[NineOhTheRino]

The new coach Mike Drew told me he wants me to play as a 'power forward' in the next season rather than at center. I think that I can agree on a lot as a player because that's what I've been all my life

what's wrong with this quote?

Edited August 8, 2010 by NineOhTheRino

[TheNorthCydeRises]

what's wrong with this quote?

LOL @ Mike Drew . . . I just saw that.

This article may be a fake then. Unless Al had a Freudian Slip.

[niremetal]

Why would you change a player's position when he just made the All-Star team at his current position?

[gsuteke]

If this is true, then it's a good move. Playing Al all those minutes out of position was ridiculous and it was limiting his effectiveness. Playing him more at his natural spot will make him more comfortable and he will be, as a result, more effective. Playing with a bigger lineup will also help the Hawks rebound the ball better on the defensive end and that's key to being a good defensive team. Kudos to L.D. if he decides to play Al more at the 4.

Wrong!

I love smoove's game now that he's stopped taking long jumpers hence the problem with this move. Your sf needs to be able to knock down both the mid and long range jumper.

A sf is a scorer. The perfect sf on this team is joe and he isn't being used there.

Horford at pf + smoove on the floor = bad idea. Perhaps its the "offense never before seen" he spoke of when drew got hired. More power to him if he can get it to work.

[Diesel]

Who knows... maybe we sign Kwame Brown to a deal?

[exodus]

This makes no sense. Horford is the best center on the roster by a mile. If he moves to pf that means the Hawks have a garbage can at center.

[gsuteke]

This makes no sense. Horford is the best center on the roster by a mile. If he moves to pf that means the Hawks have a garbage can at center.

I'm less concerned with zaza at the 5 than smoove at the 3. Smoove is 10x the player which puts in perspective my concern about how smith at the 3 limits floor spacing. This is only exacerbated by us not having an elite pg.

[Swatguy]

It appears to me coach Drew has a lot of confidence in the "Pentangle offense and particularly with Zaza in it. I do see Zaza as more effective in a motion offense cause the guy moves well to the rim as opposed to back to the rim. He also has a good mid-range jumper. I'm fine with Zaza offensively however, defensively with he and Bibby on the court is a challenge.

[GameTime]

Wrong!

I love smoove's game now that he's stopped taking long jumpers hence the problem with this move. Your sf needs to be able to knock down both the mid and long range jumper.

A sf is a scorer. The perfect sf on this team is joe and he isn't being used there.

Horford at pf + smoove on the floor = bad idea. Perhaps its the "offense never before seen" he spoke of when drew got hired. More power to him if he can get it to work.

Smoove is our third best scorer on our team and by far a much better scorer than Marvin.

I'm less concerned with zaza at the 5 than smoove at the 3. Smoove is 10x the player which puts in perspective my concern about how smith at the 3 limits floor spacing. This is only exacerbated by us not having an elite pg.

Floor spacing? Marvin is not a good shooter either. With Drew's offense it is more movement = more cuts.

It appears to me coach Drew has a lot of confidence in the "Pentangle offense and particularly with Zaza in it. I do see Zaza as more effective in a motion offense cause the guy moves well to the rim as opposed to back to the rim. He also has a good mid-range jumper. I'm fine with Zaza offensively however, defensively with he and Bibby on the court is a challenge.

I also think Collins will be used more than we think. He is a good passer and screen/pick setter and plays solid D. Every thing you would want in a Drew/motion offense. I hope he is in shape this year though.

Edited August 8, 2010 by GameTime

[Swatguy]

Smoove is our second best scorer on our team and by far a much better scorer than Marvin.

Joe, Jamal, then Josh.

[DJlaysitup]

It appears to me coach Drew has a lot of confidence in the "Pentangle offense and particularly with Zaza in it. I do see Zaza as more effective in a motion offense cause the guy moves well to the rim as opposed to back to the rim. He also has a good mid-range jumper. I'm fine with Zaza offensively however, defensively with he and Bibby on the court is a challenge.

Yep Swat - I have no problem with Zaza as or starting center as long as he has Al Horford and Josh Smith alongside him on the baseline. Is it the perfect option? no...is it a better option with what we have? yes. The "Bad boy" pistons had a "white guy bull in the china shop center" in Laimbeer. The advantage Laimbeer had was that he could shoot from the perimeter.

Still - if you want to compare you have Laimbeer, Mahorn, Rodman vs Zaza, Al Horford, Josh Smith.

Positionally : Laimbeer has the advantage over Zaza due to just being better and being able to shoot....but Zaza is a tough guy like Laimbeer. Al Horford against Mahorn is a wash IMO. Al is more skilled but Mahorn was stronger and tougher...that's not to say Al isn't close (and very tough). Smoove has a big advantage over Rodman since he is an actual game changer. His offensive skills have developed well beyond Rodman"s ever were and he is a high flyer.

[Theeyo]

hmmm maybe LD is going to flip-flop Smoove & Al.

Smoove at the 5 & Al at the 4 could be a possibility on offense. Defensively Al will still have to take the bigger player if both players are in at the same time upfront.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

DJ . . that's a big stretch comparing Zaza to Laimbeer. He's nowhere near as tough or skilled as Laimbeer was. Laimbeer was averaging a double-double in an era of great centers. I think Laimbeer led the NBA in rebounding once or twice. Horford is closer to being Laimbeer from a production and toughness standpoint, than Zaza is.

[DJlaysitup]

DJ . . that's a big stretch comparing Zaza to Laimbeer. He's nowhere near as tough or skilled as Laimbeer was. Laimbeer was averaging a double-double in an era of great centers. I think Laimbeer led the NBA in rebounding once or twice. Horford is closer to being Laimbeer from a production and toughness standpoint, than Zaza is.

Yeah northcyde - I know. I did mention that Laimbeer was a shooter..I certainly wasn't trying to make them equals.. Plus (few people realize this) Laimbeer actually has a lake named after him on the celebrity golf tour....I think it's in Tahoe. He pulled a true-life "Tin Cup"...came up to the hole (17th or 18th) in contention to win and hit three in a row in the lake. Splash, splash, splash. I saw it live on TV - none of them were skippers or backspinners either - all three were nice high dunkers.

Splash, splash, splash :biggrin: impressive. for a non-pro. First there was the "Eisenhour Tree", then "Lake Laimbeer".

Golf joke: Sam Snead and his much younger playing partner are fixing to tee off at Augusta on the Eisenhour tree hole. His young pro partner aims out to the right to avoid the tree and Sam says "Son...when I was your age I would just knock my drive right over the top of that tree and cut the dogleg" The young fella then thinks - OK I'll take that challenge and hits his ball right at the tree in an atttempt to cut the dogleg....but he doesn't quite get there and the ball hits the top of the tree and bounces down in a bad spot.

Sam commented - "of course when I was your age that tree was a lot smaller" :kickcan:

[lethalweapon3]

Great find, 'cyde. Although I don't doubt that Smoove will get limited minutes at SF, more likely is the concept that he starts at PF then comes off the bench to spell him. For that to happen, Zaza and (Boone/Elson) and JaCo get significantly more minutes on the floor, and when (not if) they are ineffective we go back to the starter's minutes. Depending on the matchups, Powell will probably get more time at C as well. Critical to making any of this work is for Al to stay healthy and out of foul trouble.

possible PF:C rotation:

Smoove:Hofo (min 60%)

Hofo:Zaza (max 10%)

Smoove:Zaza (max 5%)

Smoove:J-Pow (max 5%)

J-Pow:Zaza (max 5%)

J-Pow:Hofo or Hofo:J-Pow (max 10%)

Hofo:{Boone or JaCo} (max 5%)

alternate rotation (early foul trouble):

Smoove:Hofo

Smoove:Zaza

J-Pow:Zaza

Hofo:Zaza

Hofo:{Boone or JaCo}

Smoove:J-Pow

J-Pow:Hofo or Hofo-J-Pow

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/08/theres-a-logjam-in-atlanta-and-somethings-got-to-give.php

Unless we hear differently, I don't envision the Hawks "elevating" Zaza to a starter spot.

It's like Tetris, only with guys that can't guard Dwight Howard. (Who can?)

~lw3