JoshB914 wrote:. He could be a 15 & 10 guy which is just fine with me.
Me too. That is what i am hoping for.
Horford back to power forward
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Rip2137
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And that is what I have constantly said he would be.
I have never said he was going to be a scorer like any of those guys.
Brand had a stronger all around game, Boozer was better back to the basket coming in and added the Jumpshot which is why he became more unstoppable (and actually has a face up off the dribble game that Horford does not have) and Amare just had to add actual basketball skills to his jumping ability to become a more complete package.
My point is that you can't look at a team that had only Stephon marbury and Shawn marion and ran the pick and roll with amare almost everytime down the court and say 'See...he always was a better scorer" when he had trouble hitting layups and turned the ball over almost everytime it touched the floor his rookie year, then compare it to a team that runs NO pick and rolls, and the guy has to score almost exclusively off of garbage points and fast breaks because he isnt' featured on offense at all.
As a rookie, watching both of them play, there is no question to me that Horford is the better offensive player of the two. He is simply more skilled than Amare was. But he also doesn't have the athletic tools to get to where Amare got once he added the basketball skills. So Amare became a combination of the two, while Horford has his skills and while above average athletisim, no where near what Amare has to become near the scorer that he became.
Horford could be a 15 point per game scorer now in a pick and roll offense. Not sure how much better than that he could get though as offensively, I think he is pretty much at his peak unless he works on that first step. And I dont' know how much better he would be there.
But this isn't a case of overrating anyone. Amare couldn't dribble, pass, had no back to the basket game, and couldn't shoot the jumper coming in. All he could do was set hard picks and catch the ball and finish at the basket.
Horford has a couple of back to the basket moves, has a decent jumper, and can dribble and has good hands.
Of the two, yes, as a rookie is a better scorer than Amare. Amare got more opportunity.
I have never said he was going to be a scorer like any of those guys.
Brand had a stronger all around game, Boozer was better back to the basket coming in and added the Jumpshot which is why he became more unstoppable (and actually has a face up off the dribble game that Horford does not have) and Amare just had to add actual basketball skills to his jumping ability to become a more complete package.
My point is that you can't look at a team that had only Stephon marbury and Shawn marion and ran the pick and roll with amare almost everytime down the court and say 'See...he always was a better scorer" when he had trouble hitting layups and turned the ball over almost everytime it touched the floor his rookie year, then compare it to a team that runs NO pick and rolls, and the guy has to score almost exclusively off of garbage points and fast breaks because he isnt' featured on offense at all.
As a rookie, watching both of them play, there is no question to me that Horford is the better offensive player of the two. He is simply more skilled than Amare was. But he also doesn't have the athletic tools to get to where Amare got once he added the basketball skills. So Amare became a combination of the two, while Horford has his skills and while above average athletisim, no where near what Amare has to become near the scorer that he became.
Horford could be a 15 point per game scorer now in a pick and roll offense. Not sure how much better than that he could get though as offensively, I think he is pretty much at his peak unless he works on that first step. And I dont' know how much better he would be there.
But this isn't a case of overrating anyone. Amare couldn't dribble, pass, had no back to the basket game, and couldn't shoot the jumper coming in. All he could do was set hard picks and catch the ball and finish at the basket.
Horford has a couple of back to the basket moves, has a decent jumper, and can dribble and has good hands.
Of the two, yes, as a rookie is a better scorer than Amare. Amare got more opportunity.
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conleyorbust
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I posted in another thread that for now I'd love to see Al develop into a great "glue guy" at center. Until he shows some aggression on offense, ie. takes advantage of a matchup repeatedly, I imagine him as a 15ppg-12.5rpg-3apg-1.5bpg-1spg type of player in his prime. A guy that can set bone jarring picks, throw bullet outlet passes, play solid D all over the court, crash the hell out of the glass, and get his points without disrupting the flow of the offense. I have full confidence in his ability to turn into that player and if he did I think he'd be a perfect complement to Josh Smith for a long time.
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killbuckner
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conleyorbust
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killbuckner wrote:COB- just out of curiosity what current player do you think fits that mold at center?
Current player? I guess the closest would be Bogut who is bigger and more of a shotblocker, but less mobile and less of a rebounder. Just in terms of a decent scorer but good passer and teamate. Bogut is built more for the halfcourt game and Al is built to play the full court game. I think Al could be a really nasty post defender too, complement Josh's off the ball acumen.
I'm not sure if you can tell who I was thinking of but I'm hoping he becomes sort of a Wes Unseld-lite. That is actually who I sort of envisioned him turning into in the first place. He wasn't a dominant scorer in college, regardless of the rest of the team... he isn't a scorer at heart. He is unselfish though, does "the little things", and is willing to work his ass off on the glass and on D.
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conleyorbust
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^Obviously he has a long way to go as a passer to catch Unseld, and Unseld's most endearing trait on offense was his passing. Still though, he will almost certainly be a better scorer so for him to be the best player he can be you just have to hope his defense and passing continue to improve and he gets a bit of a mean streak on offense.