Horford centers Hawks’ attack

[Admin]

By SEKOU SMITH

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Thursday, October 16, 2008

The Hawks don’t keep a statistic for how many offensive touches a player gets during a game.

If they did, second-year center Al Horford might have smashed his career record during Wednesday’s preseason game against Phoenix.

His nine field goal attempts was just slightly above his season average from his rookie year. However, the Hawks’ repeated attempts to get Horford the ball marked a strategic shift.

“I don’t know what that was about,” a smiling Horford said after Hawks practice Thursday. “The two games before that I didn’t barely touch the ball. I guess I just have to stay ready.”

He better stay ready. Hawks coach Mike Woodson said he intends to craft a post-up game to complement Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby on the perimeter. If Wednesday was any indication, Horford will be the focal point of this new inside attack.

“We’re going to have to go to Al more,” Woodson said. “I’ve got to find a way to get him more shots. And he’s got to make a commitment to work harder at developing some more low-post moves where he’s just not predictable. And I think he can do that. But it’s just a matter of me utilizing him more on the block and getting him the ball.

“It gives you a stronger weapon if you’ve got a guy you can throw the ball into in the low post and command double teams. I think Al can do that. If he starts to score a little more consistently we can give it to him even more. Plus he makes free throws, which allows him to become a double thereat.”

No player would turn down more shots and a bigger role in his team’s offensive scheme. Horford admitted that he is eager to see where the Hawks’ renewed focus on the post game goes.

He spent long hours on his face-up game over the summer and worked hard to increase his arsenal of post moves in anticipation of a larger offensive role this season.

“It’s something I have to keep developing my game,” Horford said, “In order for us to start looking for that I have continue to work on it and take advantage of whatever opportunities come my way in the meantime.”

Horford was plenty confident in his offensive abilities but knew better than to overstep his bounds in his first season.

“You could see him thinking about it as a rookie,” Johnson said. “So far this season he’s been getting the ball on the block and going straight into his move. He didn’t do that as a rookie. He would hesitate for a second.”

Horford won’t hesitate anymore. His coaches and teammates won’t allow it.

“Once we get everybody back healthy and out there and back going, especially with Mike Bibby back there but with Acie [Law IV], too, the floor will open up for everybody,” Horford said. “It’s just a matter of me being able to get the chances. I’ve always been the type of guy to do whatever the team needs me to help us win. But if coach needs me to step up [my low-post game], that’s what I’ll do.”

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports...=7&cxcat=21

[AHF]

Let me be the first to praise Woody for this move. This would be huge to balancing our attack and opening up additional space on the perimeter. Keep feeding Horford and demanding that he develop his low and high post skills and, with his work ethic, he will definitely improve.

[Admin]

Let me be the first to praise Woody for this move. This would be huge to balancing our attack and opening up additional space on the perimeter. Keep feeding Horford and demanding that he develop his low and high post skills and, with his work ethic, he will definitely improve.

I absolutely agree here. I think that my favorite game of the Boston series was the game where we ran the 2 man game with Al and JJ but we consistently fed Al the ball in the paint and let him either back his man down or pass out. Big Al has to develop a consistent back to the basket game though for this to be successful. I have faith in him though!

Definitely good to see Woody looking at different ways of getting us some quality possessions.

[Swish]

Nice to see Woody coaching! This is a new concept. Something other than JJ Iso!

[Dsinner]

Nice to see Woody coaching! This is a new concept. Something other than JJ Iso!

Amen to that. I look forward to Woody feeding Al the ball and me some crow all season long. A solid post game is something we've been lacking for a while now. Hopefully that will begin to change.

[exodus]

Let me be the first to praise Woody for this move. This would be huge to balancing our attack and opening up additional space on the perimeter. Keep feeding Horford and demanding that he develop his low and high post skills and, with his work ethic, he will definitely improve.

Woody has always been good about saying the right things. Actually doing them is another story.

How many times has he said he wanted to limit JJ's minutes?

How many times has he said he wanted the players to commit to rebounding (isn't boxing out part of rebounding?)?

How many times did he say they wanted to play uptempo (to be fair they finally started doing some of that this past season)?

I want to see him practice what he preaches before i give him credit.

[Gray Mule]

I, too, am excited about the talk of all this new offense.

But, I also agree with Exodus. Show me. And not just for one quarter or for

perhaps just a game or so.

I'm always saying, use the bench. Gotta have a bench to use it. Perhaps, now

we do it. And, hit those free throws! Hopefully our new shooting coach will see

to improved free throw shooting.

All in all, a great plan. Now, the execution of said plan.

[DrReality]

Agree with all of the above, but we also have a pg who can make this work. Bibby knows how to run an offense and if/when we make this work, there will other aspects to the offense that will open too. That's exciting and we have guys with varied skills who can compliment each other; IE MW learning to shoot, Smoove drive to the basket, Flip and Mo bring similar skills.

Bottom line is we have other ways to win BESIDES JUST GIVING JJ THE BALL.

[DJlaysitup]

I'm all for what the Woodster is saying...still, I agree that the proof's in the pudding...talk is cheap.

I did hear a radio interview on 790 (I believe) with Woody and Al Horford where they were being very complimentary with each other and Woody said as where he was going to be getting more touches for Al. Still, even in that interview a question came up about the end of last season and Woody admitted that it was a real pleasure for him to have Bibby at the end of last year and Bibb was huge in getting us into the playoffs - since there was no real time to coach him up...he just gave him the ball and let him go. I think that time period roughly coincides with when we started alot playing more uptempo. So was it Woody or Bibby that got us to playing more uptempo...chicken or the egg? I dunno :eek:

Edited October 18, 2008 by DJlaysitup

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Woody has always been good about saying the right things. Actually doing them is another story.

How many times has he said he wanted to limit JJ's minutes?

How many times has he said he wanted the players to commit to rebounding (isn't boxing out part of rebounding?)?

How many times did he say they wanted to play uptempo (to be fair they finally started doing some of that this past season)?

I want to see him practice what he preaches before i give him credit.

That's a fair observation.

But you also have to be fair on why we couldn't do some of those things:

- Limiting JJ's minutes is all well and good. But whenever he went out of the game, the offense went to hell in a handbasket. JJ had to play heavy minutes in order for this team to stay afloat.

- LOL . . boxing out is definitely a part of rebounding. I have to place the blame for this on the players. Smith and Williams are notorious about not properly blocking out, while Horford does it all the time.

- They didn't play uptempo all the time, because of the shaky PG situation. Lue would dribble holes into the ground, while uptempo for AJ was jogging the ball up the court. Once we got Bibby, it was amazing how much more comfortable this team looked, when they tried to play faster.

I think the difference now for Woody, is that he actually has a team where he can coach both "conventionally" and "unconventionally", if he wants to. When your best post up player is also your best perimeter player, it's not too much you can do.

And I agree with Dolfan. I loved when JJ and Horford ran that 2-man game with great success. That's an element we hadn't had here, since Harrington was down on the block. If Horford can become a nightly threat in the post, that opens the game up for everybody, and make us much more dangerous.

[exodus]

LOL . . boxing out is definitely a part of rebounding. I have to place the blame for this on the players. Smith and Williams are notorious about not properly blocking out, while Horford does it all the time.

Horford is a perfect example of Woody's lack of coaching. It is clear that Horford was coached to box out in college. when the season started Horford was boxing out consistently in sharp contrast to everyone else.

As the season wore on i would see more and more instances of Horford failing to box out and letting his man go right past him for the putback. And i would chalk it up to Woody because it is pretty clear boxing out is something he doesn't emphasize.

I was watching a Spurs game during the regular season last year and saw something i have never seen watching a Hawks game. The opponents put up a shot and Finley started looking for someone to box out. He found someone much bigger than him, got in position and when the shot hit the rim Finley backed up so hard into the guy that his feet left the ground and he actually fell on top of Finley.

If Pop was our coach you can bet that everyone would be boxing out and Smith wouldn't be taking any 3s.

Then of course you have Woody's constant yanking Horford out of the game when he got 2 fouls. I'd be willing to bet that Horford never got 3 fouls during the first half all season because he always got yanked after 2. maybe he got 3 once against someone like Howard or Yao.

Then at the end of the game if Horford got 5 fouls he was done for the night even if there was only 2 minutes left in the game. W T F