Al Horford

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What am I missing with this guy? He made the AS team and it seems like everyone is making a big deal about the Celtics picking him up. But the last two seasons against Cleveland, it was pretty obvious he couldn't wait to go home. I understand he may be a decent regular season player, but I think he's only average, if that.
 

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He's solid at everything, not really elite at anything. Some of the praise of him is a little overboard. Probably just because the Celts have never really had a big free agent signing before. He is a top 10 center though.

As far as his contract, the Celtics whole team is on bargain deals so slightly overpaying someone doesn't really hurt them much. The rest of their starting lineup will make about what he makes combined, which is kinda bizarre but indicative of the escalating salary cap.

And their biggest weakness was at PF/C with giving big minutes to Zeller and Sullinger last year. So they turned a weakness into a strength.
 

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Also besides those fluke pectoral muscle injuries, he really hasn't had much injury history in the NBA at all. Very durable.

That is important for a center these days. Those guys can die out fast.

I would've rather seen the Celts gamble on Dwight Howard, even if it wasn't likely to workout because he has physically declined, at least it is a gamble on a guy getting back to dominant elite level. Howard hasn't had a good coach since Van Gundy in Orlando and has never played with a point guard as good as Thomas. But it is easier for me be pro-risk taking like that since I'm not the one signing the checks.

Also if there is any chance the Celts were gonna get Durant, it would've been with Horford being in the fold. Wojnarowski (sp) reported that Durant/Donovan tried to sell him on going to OKC with them but he didn't want to since there were no assurances Durant/Westbrook would stay long-term.
 

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good posts patsfan EXCEPT the part about Howard.
 

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gotta believe Howard is done .. also he doesnt seem to have the intensity to be a top level star anymore.
 

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Not much makes sense to me. But I guess if Deladova can get 10 mil a yr anything can happen right now
 

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just read this in c notes thread:
Memphis made Mike Conley the highest-paid player in NBA history. Problem is, he's never even made one All-Star Game.
 

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re: Dwight. He's had some back and knee injuries but besides this year he had been pretty good when on the court the previous few years. Houston made the conference finals just 13 months ago, keep that in mind.

Put it this way, I think Atlanta was smart to breakup the monotony of having the same type of team every year and bring him in. They had maxed out with their core group. Even if it doesn't workout it is only a 3 year deal. Being in his hometown, playing for a good coach and a relatively calm fan base with not all that high of expectations could help him. Again, I acknowledge it is easier for me to sit on the internet and advocate for these teams to play Russian roulette since I'm not the one signing the checks.

When athletes decline people often like to peg it to personality or "heart" or whatever, and I'm not defending him, he is a bit of a clown but the main reason he has fallen off is because he can't physically dominate like he used to. He got beatup pretty bad over the years, teams were fouling him like 10 times a game.
 

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I'm happy about Horford, I think he's a nice piece to the puzzle and he's a big improvement at his position

I was mortified about signing Howard, I didn't want him at all
 

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re: Dwight. He's had some back and knee injuries but besides this year he had been pretty good when on the court the previous few years. Houston made the conference finals just 13 months ago, keep that in mind.

Put it this way, I think Atlanta was smart to breakup the monotony of having the same type of team every year and bring him in. They had maxed out with their core group. Even if it doesn't workout it is only a 3 year deal. Being in his hometown, playing for a good coach and a relatively calm fan base with not all that high of expectations could help him. Again, I acknowledge it is easier for me to sit on the internet and advocate for these teams to play Russian roulette since I'm not the one signing the checks.

When athletes decline people often like to peg it to personality or "heart" or whatever, and I'm not defending him, he is a bit of a clown but the main reason he has fallen off is because he can't physically dominate like he used to. He got beatup pretty bad over the years, teams were fouling him like 10 times a game.

Did you watch Houston play this year? Howard/Harden effort, disgusting. Don't want anything to do with either of those guys.
 

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I'm happy about Horford, I think he's a nice piece to the puzzle and he's a big improvement at his position

I was mortified about signing Howard, I didn't want him at all

Would have been the rare guy coming to my team that I would absolutely refuse to cheer for. Thank goodness that did not happen.
 

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Did you watch Houston play this year? Howard/Harden effort, disgusting. Don't want anything to do with either of those guys.

You probably didn't want anything to do with Randy Moss in 2007 either. Guys have bad years, bad coaching, injuries, stuff happens.

Harden is obviously 1 of the best offensive players in the NBA.
 

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You probably didn't want anything to do with Randy Moss in 2007 either. Guys have bad years, bad coaching, stuff happens.

Harden is obviously 1 of the best offensive players in the NBA.

I actually hate the Pats (and Bruins) but I am a Sox and C's fan. But I guess you would be surprised, in my best of all time list of WR's I have Randy Moss first (yes ahead of Rice and everyone else) Best I have ever seen. and not wanting Howard/Harden is more than just this past season.
 

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gotta believe Howard is done .. also he doesnt seem to have the intensity to be a top level star anymore.

definitely not star or close to his Orlando days, but even on his decline he is still tied for 3rd in the league in rebounds last season.... which is something many centers will never reach in their best days.
 

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Did you watch Houston play this year? Howard/Harden effort, disgusting. Don't want anything to do with either of those guys.

Dwight Howard worked with arguably two of the best post players ever in dream and mchale and still never attained a post game. He is not physically capable of dominating the paint as he did briefly in Orlando. A clown to boot. Good job Atlanta.

But he ll get what he always wanted, the chance to be on real housewives of Atl....
 

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Dwight Howard worked with arguably two of the best post players ever in dream and mchale and still never attained a post game. He is not physically capable of dominating the paint as he did briefly in Orlando. A clown to boot. Good job Atlanta.

But he ll get what he always wanted, the chance to be on real housewives of Atl....

post of the day
 

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To be clear I think there is like a 20% chance the Hawks markedly improve with Dwight Howard. They're getting old, they got rid of Teague this year, Carroll last year.

But they were going to decline anyway, I'd rather gamble on upside than have more or less the same caliber of team that I've had the last 8-9 years.

And Howard's deal is only 3yrs, not much of a commitment.
 

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