Al Horford has only played in one preseason game with the Golden State Warriors. However, the veteran center already appears to be developing on-court synergy with Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry and is planning to capitalize on one of the two-time MVP’s primary strengths.
Horford made his Golden State preseason debut during Sunday’s 111-103 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers, logging 14 minutes off the bench. While the 19-year veteran’s scoring impact was muted, he still made his presence felt on both ends. He finished with three points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and three blocks, shooting 1-for-3 (33.3%), and was a plus-13 in limited action.
One first-quarter give-and-go connection between Horford and Curry particularly caught fans’ eyes, fueling optimism for a productive partnership between the two esteemed players.
Which of Stephen Curry’s Attributes Is Al Horford Aiming To Benefit From?
Speaking on Tuesday, a day ahead of the Warriors’ second exhibition home clash against the Portland Trail Blazers, Horford was asked about his first experience playing alongside Curry. The five-time All-Star stressed his desire to optimize Curry’s offensive skill set.
“When I’m on the floor with him, the whole mindset is trying to make the game easier for him, and for me, that is either getting him the ball or setting a good screen or doing anything that I can to make sure that our offense just kind of moves and flows,” Horford said.
Horford continued to rave about the four-time NBA champion’s basketball IQ and leadership, concurring with his new teammate’s comments about their “unspoken chemistry.” He added that he intends to leverage Curry’s off-ball movement all season, as demonstrated on Sunday.
“He’s such a smart player. It’s easy to play off of him, and sometimes he’ll kind of tell you what to do, like he passed me that ball, but I knew that he was gonna cut,” Horford explained.
“So, I guess that’s the ‘unspoken’ that he’s talking about right there. He expected me to pass the ball, and I did, so for me, it’s just continuing to play off his energy. He just does such a good job of terrifying everybody in the league every time he moves. So, that’s something that I’m going to be able to take advantage of.”
Curry also spoke highly of Horford’s two-way versatility, title experience, and ability to “fit with any lineup.” While Horford is already 39, he is projected to give the Warriors a different look at the five spot. That’s something Curry is “excited to see” pay dividends for his squad’s key players as they seek to build on last season’s 48-win mark and second-round playoff exit.
