Versus the Spurs
Fast forward to the Disney bubble — although he did not put up prolific numbers against San Antonio on Monday night, Horford did have a solid game as a reserve, contributing on offense and defense. He put up 32 minutes, scored nine points, grabbed six rebounds, dished three assists, and had two blocks, leading the team in the +/- category (+17).
I know what you’re thinking. Those are chocolate milk numbers. Why should he be paid tens of millions for chocolate milk numbers? Clearly, he didn’t dominate like Embiid. He wasn’t as impactful as Tobias Harris. All he did was use veteran experience and quick decision-making skills that would lead to the biggest shot of the night.
Let’s dissect why Horford’s value cannot be tethered to strictly numbers at this point.
With 10 seconds on the clock and down by two points, Shake Milton was set to inbound the ball. Embiid was already in position down low, ready to receive the pass. Milton’s defender, Dejounte Murray, was helping Jakob Poeltl, denying any clear reception. Milton inbounded the ball to Horford at the 3-point line, who seemed inclined to lob the ball to Embiid.
That lone second to evaluate the situation is what makes Al Horford so valuable to this team. He knew that Josh Richardson’s man was locked in on the potential lob to Embiid on the weak side. Even Shake Milton’s defender sagged so low to crowd the 76ers’ center that when Milton stepped in after the pass, there was a good 10 feet between him and Murray. If Ben Simmons had not fouled out, perhaps he would’ve received the pass from Milton. And knowing Ben, he quite possibly would have tried to force the ball down low and caused a turnover.
As fate would have it, Simmons was on the bench as a spectator, while Horford drew on his experience and decided to make the best play of the night — well, at least the best pass. Horford did a quick fake pass to Embiid and dished it to Shake Milton for the assist of the night. When the ball went through the net, Milton’s redemption seemed instant, and the Sixers took the final lead. And they had chocolate milk to thank for it.