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He’s been the cornerstone of two #1 seeds.

His impact on the game? It’s never just about the numbers—it’s all over the tape. Every. Single. Time.

The way he moves on both ends—offense and defense—breaking from the play to make the right read like he’s some elite NFL route runner.

His defensive awareness? Elite.
His defensive movement? Quick hands, quicker instincts.
His agility off the ball? Next-level.
His screen-setting ability, especially off-script? Backdoor cuts, flares, pin-down curls—he’s finishing plays while making elite decisions in real-time.

The intangibles? As good as anyone I’ve EVER seen in the NBA. Period.

His ability to run ANY offense? Iso, movement-based, grit-n-grind, uptempo, midtempo, slow tempo, perimeter-centric, post-centric, screen-centric, PnR-centric—you name it, he’s mastered it.

Defensively? He’s not just locking down one guy—he’s protecting EVERYONE on the court.

And the way he blends into his teammates’ strengths? It’s not just about him—it’s about elevating THEM. Helping them grow, helping them shine. We’ve seen it with almost every player who’s shared the floor with him.

Yet, he’s the most impactful player who gets ZERO respect for his impact. We talk about Giannis, LeBron, Kobe—legends, sure. But Al? He’s out here doing the little things, the big things, the EVERYTHING to make his team better, and it’s like the world just shrugs.

I’ve heard people compare him to Horace Grant. Horace was solid, don’t get me wrong, but he wasn’t making life easier for everyone around him. He had a defined skill set, but Al? Al’s doing things Horace could NEVER do.

Maybe I just see the game differently. Maybe it’s because I’ve watched hundreds of Al’s games live or studied every version of the tape. But at some point, y’all gotta put some respect on his name.

Opinions? Let’s hear it.

King Ken wrote:https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=1632263

Revised:

He’s been the cornerstone of two #1 seeds.

His impact on the game? It’s never just about the numbers—it’s all over the tape. Every. Single. Time.

The way he moves on both ends—offense and defense—breaking from the play to make the right read like he’s some elite NFL route runner.

His defensive awareness? Elite.
His defensive movement? Quick hands, quicker instincts.
His agility off the ball? Next-level.
His screen-setting ability, especially off-script? Backdoor cuts, flares, pin-down curls—he’s finishing plays while making elite decisions in real-time.

The intangibles? As good as anyone I’ve EVER seen in the NBA. Period.

His ability to run ANY offense? Iso, movement-based, grit-n-grind, uptempo, midtempo, slow tempo, perimeter-centric, post-centric, screen-centric, PnR-centric—you name it, he’s mastered it.

Defensively? He’s not just locking down one guy—he’s protecting EVERYONE on the court.

And the way he blends into his teammates’ strengths? It’s not just about him—it’s about elevating THEM. Helping them grow, helping them shine. We’ve seen it with almost every player who’s shared the floor with him.

Yet, he’s the most impactful player who gets ZERO respect for his impact. We talk about Giannis, LeBron, Kobe—legends, sure. But Al? He’s out here doing the little things, the big things, the EVERYTHING to make his team better, and it’s like the world just shrugs.

I’ve heard people compare him to Horace Grant. Horace was solid, don’t get me wrong, but he wasn’t making life easier for everyone around him. He had a defined skill set, but Al? Al’s doing things Horace could NEVER do.

Maybe I just see the game differently. Maybe it’s because I’ve watched hundreds of Al’s games live or studied every version of the tape. But at some point, y’all gotta put some respect on his name.

Opinions? Let’s hear it.

This was from 2017 so he's clearly not one of the best players in the NBA in 2025 but he's still one of the top 100-125 players in my eyes. Why do you think so many fans missed on Al, including Celtic fans at that time whereas I didn't. Of course, I am Hawks fan. I've seen every game of his, many in person and even in practice.

brackdan70 wrote:Yeah he is amazing. I don’t recall Celtics fans being at all ever anything but excited and impressed though….maybe a minority? Maybe I have selected memory?

JimmyFromNz wrote:I like your description of his game, it's accurate and the sentiment he was underrated to an extent during his prime. I also recall a debate at the time who the most 'valuable' piece to the team was between him and IT.

But I also see you were adamant Al Horford was a top 10 player in 2017.

I don't think there was any evidence to support that at time nor now. It seems that is where the majority of push back came from in your original thread. So I'm a little unclear now what has changed? We can praise the basketball gods for Al, marvel at his longevity and role on this team, but I'm not sure there's a lot more to revisit ?