Philadelphia 76ers: Al Horford proving essential despite on-court struggles

Al Horford is crucial to the Philadelphia 76ers’ success, even if the on-court product has been inconsistent so far.

The Philadelphia 76ers are 9-5, an imperfect start for a potential contender. After a 5-0 start, the Sixers have struggled to perform consistently, which has in turn led to an inordinate amount of close games and nail-biters, regardless of competition level.

One reason for the Sixers’ inconsistency is a lack of on-court chemistry. It’s clear Brett Brown is still working out kinks in the rotation, as well as the system. The Sixers replaced Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick with Al Horford and Josh Richardson — vastly different players, to say the least.

In Butler and Redick, Brown had jailbreak offensive talents. In Horford and Richardson, the Sixers have assembled a massive defensive juggernaut centered on physicality, toughness, and the exploitation of mismatches. The offense has taken more than a few lumps as a result.

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Brown leaned heavily on Redick during the sharpshooter’s time in Philadelphia. In a sometimes stagnant offense, it was Redick’s off-movement shooting that sprung defenses into chaos. Late last season, especially in the playoffs, it was Butler who led the halfcourt offensive charge.

This season, the Sixers have worked through slumps from Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons, not to mention career-worst shooting from Horford and Joel Embiid. With fewer dynamic creators in the halfcourt, Brown has had to scheme new ways to generate offense. It works to a degree — the Sixers aren’t a bad offensive team — but it’s not always pretty.

Horford in particular has had his share of ups and downs. Fresh off a four-year, $109 million payday, the 33-year-old has commanded a significant role. He’s not only the starting power forward — he’s the backup center, the stopgap when Embiid sits, and the team’s second-leading assist man.

Most would consider Horford a top-30 NBA player. He’s someone whose skill and impact stretches beyond the box score, a testament to his elite basketball I.Q. That hasn’t changed in Philadelphia, and he’s still the best player on the court outside Embiid and Simmons.

There have, however, been a few negative indicators from Horford’s performance so far. His shooting is an obvious red flag — his 43.4 field goal percentage is four points lower than his worst season to date, which was 2016-17. His three-point percentage sits at 32.2, his lowest mark since 2014-15.

Spacing is and will continue to be a challenge for the Sixers. Until Simmons is regularly spotting up from the corner (let’s not get ahead of ourselves…), there are natural challenges to giving Embiid and Simmons enough airspace, all while creating an environment for Horford, Harris, and Richardson to punish smaller defenders inside.

Horford needs time to adjust to a new role. He’s playing more on the perimeter, especially next to Embiid. Brown has done a solid job staggering minutes, but it’s still an adjustment next to Simmons, who has been Horford’s main tag-team partner.

In Boston, Horford was the oil that made the Celtics’ engine tick. He was a vaunted high-post playmaker, operating from the elbow, whipping passes to cutters, and acting as a source of fluidity in Boston’s iso-heavy offense.

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With the Sixers, Horford has spent more time hovering around the three-point line. Rather than spacers orbiting Horford, he’s the one trying to create space. It’s a drastic shift in approach, and as a result, we have seen considerable fluctuations in his production.

A more defined role has also meant an increase in shot attempts and volume for Horford, who’s averaging a career-high 13.3 shots on goal to start the season. But even that number isn’t steady — over his last five games, that number drops to 11.2, and Horford’s percentages fall even lower than his season averages.

The overarching point here is simple: Horford is playing a different brand of basketball than we’ve ever seen him play. He’s smart and talented enough to make it work — he’s a top-30 player, at the very least — but it takes time.

Another overarching point is equally as simple. Horford remains critical to the Sixers’ success, and those questioning his value now run the risk of underestimating his potential impact long-term. Even at 33, Horford has still brought an invaluable presence to the organization.

On the court, Horford is a viable alternative to Embiid at center, which allows Philadelphia to rest their star without inherently forgoing victories. He has also brought a new leadership dynamic to the locker room, according to a recent feature from ESPN’s Zach Lowe.

"“Horford is a rock. He senses his basketball mortality. New teammates are surprised how much he is speaking behind closed doors. As Horford went to ring the ceremonial victory bell in Philly’s locker room after the Nov. 10 win over Charlotte, teammates surrounding him, he paused, holding the rope attached to the clapper. Charlotte’s reserves had trimmed the lead to five in garbage time.“Next man up has to be ready,” Horford told the group. “Doesn’t matter if it’s the first quarter or the fourth quarter. Be ready.” Ding.“When he speaks,” [Mike] Scott says, “everyone listens.”"

Lowe’s piece does not give the Sixers’ 2018-19 chemistry a glowing review. There are obvious culprits to blame for such an evaluation — perhaps a certain Miami Heat player — but regardless of who gets credit for a detached locker room culture, it’s clear the 2019-20 Sixers are very different.

Along with Harris, Horford has planned team dinners on road trips, with attendance sometimes reaching 14-15 players. As the quote above shows, it’s clear Horford also has a strong voice in the locker room. He’s a veteran, one with a strong reputation and a clear goal in mind — championship. Horford’s stabilizing presence might be just what the Sixers needed.

The on-court prediction will come. It might not be Horford’s best season. His role in Philadelphia isn’t tailored as much to individual success, at least not to the degree his roles in Boston and Atlanta were. He will take more shots, but his efficiency and shot chart will look different. It’s the nature of the Sixers’ weird, off-beat roster construction.

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Still, Horford is a mighty fine player, and his skill-I.Q. combination is too good not to impact winning in a positive fashion. The Sixers have 68 more games to iron out chemistry, find a comfortable space on offense, and fine-tune an already-elite defense. Things will come together, with Horford contributing to said success.