"SAN FRANCISCO - If almost two decades of Steph Curry - including 13 years spent alongside fellow all-time great shooter Klay Thompson - has taught the Warriors anything, it is to feed the hot hand. And as Al Horford buried one 3-pointer after another against Thompson and his Mavericks, his teammates looked to give him every opportunity to bomb away during a victory on Christmas Day. He finished 4 of 6 from 3-point land for 14 points in just 11 minutes, returning from a seven-game sciatica-induced absence by reminding both his team and the world of what an impactful force he can be for the Warriors."
"Horford has only played in 14 games thus far, but his teammates know how potent he can be even in limited minutes. "He definitely spreads the floor, challenges shots at the rim, and is a high-IQ-type player," Jimmy Butler said. "Then he's just really, really fun to play with. As long as you're out there having fun, being joyful, ball's moving, you're guarding, you're competing, that's who he is, that's who he's always been." Looking ahead and assuming Horford is able to consistently play anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes most nights, the Warriors' center rotation goes from shaky to, suddenly, an area of strength."
Al Horford returned from a seven-game sciatica absence and scored 14 points in 11 minutes, hitting 4 of 6 three-pointers in a Christmas Day win. Teammates praised his floor-spacing, rim defense and high basketball IQ, noting his positive impact even in limited minutes. His availability would solidify Golden State's center rotation, complementing Quinten Post's shooting and rim protection and Trayce Jackson-Davis's recent defensive resurgence. With Draymond Green as a small-ball center option, coach Steve Kerr can deploy two-big lineups with credible shooting. Horford's presence creates viable front-line depth and lineup flexibility.
Read at The Mercury News
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