Al Horford was one player Hawks couldn’t afford to lose (UPDATED)
Center Al Horford is the biggest of losses for the Hawks.
(UPDATED: 7:50 p.m.)
Not that anybody had been worn out by victory parades at any time in recent history (or ancient history). But it seems like the Atlanta pro sports world has been strapped to a wrecking ball lately.
Since last May, an NHL franchise was crushed by local ownership, then packaged, sold and shipped to Winnipeg. The Braves collapsed down the stretch of the season and missed the playoffs. The Falcons could’ve avoided a lot of pain by missing the playoffs, for when they got there they were dismembered again.
The Hawks had been our shining light. OK, maybe a 60-watt bulb. But they eliminated Orlando in the first round of the playoffs last season and gave Chicago a run in Round 2.
Then on Thursday, Atlanta gravity pulled them back down into the rubble.
Al Horford — the one player the Hawks could not afford to lose, the one player on the roster that other teams actually want, was counted out by an MRI. Horford suffered what had appeared to be a shoulder strain in Wednesday night’s loss to Indiana when he had his arm pulled back after having his shot blocked by the Pacers’ Roy Hibbert. But an MRI revealed a torn pectoral muscle.
This is not a day-to-day thing. It’s closer to a see-you-in-training-camp-next-year thing. Horford will have surgery and miss three to four months. It’s mid-January. The regular season runs through April 26. Do the math.
Hawks coach Larry Drew was asked what the Hawks will miss without Horford, other than the 12.4 points, seven rebounds and a couple of blocks and assists per game. His answer suggested this was like a live body losing a vital organ.
“Leadership and presence — that’s going to be sorely missed,” he said. “He’s kind of a glue for us. He’s a stabilizer. He’s a guy who huddles the team, who talks in the huddle. He’s a guy who’s not afraid to call people out. Certainly the guys respect him. You can see how guys respond to him.”
Horford is — was — the Hawks’ most important player. It’s not Joe Johnson, the five-time All-Star who too often disappears in big moments and has seldom exuded much in the way of leadership. It’s not Josh Smith, the athletically wonderful but occasionally head-scratcher of a player.
Horford isn’t a brilliant offensive player. But he’s as smart and consistent a performer as the Hawks have on the roster. He rebounds. He bangs. He distributes. Equally important, as Drew noted, is his presence off the court.
“I was hoping it was a strain and I’d rehab it for a couple of weeks and I’d be back,” Horford said.
That, the Hawks could manage. Every team has, or will have, injuries in this condensed season. But the Hawks couldn’t afford a debilitating one like this. What now — trade for Dwight Howard? That has long seemed like a pipe dream because Howard, an impending free agent, has said nothing to indicate he would be willing to sign an extension with the Hawks. And if the Hawks ever had a shot at Howard, Horford figured to be one of the players that Orlando would ask for in a trade.
What do the Hawks offer now — Horford with a torn pectoral, Tracy McGrady with back spasms and Marvin Williams with an ankle sprain?
Whatever it was that you believed the Hawks could achieve this season, adjust down. They’re probably still a playoff team in the Eastern Conference, although Drew said only, “I hope we are.”
It will be interesting to see how the rest of the team reacts to this loss. Said Horford, “All of the guys have to raise their game, help a little bit, and it all starts with Joe and Josh.”
Johnson was the eternal optimist of the group in the locker room Thursday.
“We still have enough talent to be an elite team in the East,” he said.
He gets points for being a rare ray of sunshine. But the reality is, it feels like a wrecking ball just hit another team.
By Jeff Schultz
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137 comments Add your comment
Born2Buzz
January 13th, 2012
9:27 am
Get ready for more players going down with injuries in this crazy condensed pretty good against a bad Charlotte team last night. But the difference in this Hawks team is that we finally have a real PG in Teague. You can lose an important piece like Horford and make up for it with all the other bigs on the roster, but you have to have that PG to make the team go. I actually believe Johnson is right, there is still enough talent.
Jim
January 13th, 2012
9:36 am
100
Ted M
January 13th, 2012
10:09 am
Too bad for Al.
Whats attendence been like so far?
Ryder
January 13th, 2012
10:40 am
Funny thing is that last night their lineup didn’t nearly look as small as they do when Horford’s in there. Zaza may not have the offensive prowess of Al, but his toughness will be needed as this team can play a more halfcourt offensive style.
In this season the best team will be the last one healthy, and it’s a good thing Atlanta has depth (especially when Hinrich gets back). It comes down to four players, JJ, Josh, Jeff and Tracy. I’ve long written Marvin out as any type of threat.
DHunt
January 13th, 2012
11:22 am
My friends in other cities blew up my FB feed with the “Al is your best player” stuff. I don’t see it. Al is great guy, and has done a very good job as an undersized center. I wish him the best and a speedy full recovery. Meaning don’t even try to get back too soon and jeopardize your career.
But to think that the Three J crew can’t step it up and make a big difference here is nothing less than a total indictment of the coaching staff. As has been said, the Hawks have one of the best benches they’ve had in years. Zaza may be an offensive liability, but only if some fool tries to run an offense through him. In fact, our big Z may be a better pick and roll player than Al, because he will roll to the basket. He won’t make the shot, but he will get fouled, and he should make his foul shots. Given the chances, his medium range jumper can be as effective as Al. And he will roll to the basket, rather than away from it like Al is prone to do.
Properly used, Jeff, Joe, and Josh can be as effective a three headed monster as any in the league. So this falls to LD to get his team playing the right kind of ball, to use the talent he has, rather than trying to make them into something they aren’t.
Not losing hope for the Hawks yet. I wouldn’t be upset about making a move for a legit center, but I also wouldn’t be upset if they stand pat and work with what they have. What they have is a potentially stellar point guard. A shooting guard who can’t be stopped unless the coach allows him to dribble for 15 seconds at a time. And a power forward who can compete with any power forward in the league. If you can’t win with that, (plus a rejuvenated Marvin and a smart physical bench), then it won’t be because we didn’t have Al.
They showed the kind of team they can be last night against Charlotte. They also showed what kind of team they can be in the losses against a hobbled Miami team, and a Chicago team that didn’t really want that win, but took it because we gave it to them. That’s the difference between good coaching and horrible coaching. Coach ‘em up LD, and we still have a shot at a good playoff seed and a good run in the post season.
JSS
January 13th, 2012
11:27 am
@ Ryder…
It will interesting to see what Hinrich does now especially with the second unit once he is activated…
Therut
January 13th, 2012
11:38 am
If I see Zaza miss another two footer I think I will scream, but when all is said and done I bet his numbers will match Al,s. Al is not a true center and it is not his fault that he is playing that position. go Ivan
Vito
January 13th, 2012
11:38 am
Ok i am not saying he will be a star but we gave up on Sy for Pargo yea he will shoot but he suck we should have kept Sloan and Sy n let go of pargo n Stackhouse we could have kept stack as a coach or something we need players not a leader that dont play
jgsbirds
January 13th, 2012
11:54 am
i’m definitely down about the loss of horford. but this team can win without him. they played very well last night without al–grant it against the bobcats-but i think the offense flowed pretty smoothly without al last night. we’re still pretty good, so i think we’ll still get tot the playoffs–al hopefully will recover sooner than later and be rested and ready to go for the playoffs!
it’s the nba so i think we can still get to the tournament–at that point any thing can happen, especially if we have everyone back healthy at the right time.
go hawks!
Roger
January 13th, 2012
11:59 am
For those that have no appreciation of the man, Zaza Pachulia will be a pleasant surprise the remainder of the year, No Al, but a pleasant surprise. Go get ‘em Zaza!
earl
January 13th, 2012
12:04 pm
well maybe when can find someone that was not picked up to where it was gonna good for us plus hopefully now we can see what stackhouse has left in him
Jacquis
January 13th, 2012
12:09 pm
Honestly, could be the best thing to happen to this team. Let me explain. We have seen the ceiling of this team as is 2nd round maybe ECF is as far as we’ll go. Here’s to missing the playoffs and getting a little luck in the lottery. We could use another cheap talented guy, small forward, coming back with horford, josh, joe, and jeff.
Tremaine
January 13th, 2012
12:22 pm
Well this gives ASG an excuse/selling point for this years playoff failure.
ATLien
January 13th, 2012
12:52 pm
Watch Josh Smith people. MVP caliber year is coming. Rumor all offseason was he busted his ass working on that middle range jumper. And so far so good. JSmoove + midrange game = BEAST.
It is a shame about Horford. He is a pretty good player. Schultz wouldn’t know this, but 12 and 7 undersized centers that don’t play D aren’t really that rare, or valuable in the grand scheme of things. Further, people want to think he’s some kind of leader. I don’t see it, never saw it, not even at UF. Noah was the leader there. Zaza/Collins and whatever cheap FA they bring in will be adequate.
Teague us getting better every game. And it is a joy to watch him progress. He’s going to be something special as well. There’s noone in the league faster on the dribble that Teague, and he’s just scratching the surface of how to use that.
Cheer up real Hawks fans, losing Al I think in the end is going to help this team. He should be back for the playoffs, and others will raise their game in his absence. Let Schultz and the rest of the fake fans and haters pick apart every little flaw of every player show off their lack of hoops knowledge with all their out in left field trade ideas.
NFL Buzz | Latest NFL News and Info Hub - Let the Playoff Football Feast Begin
January 13th, 2012
1:14 pm
[...] asked what the Hawks will miss without Horford. … His answer suggested this was like a live body losing a vital organ,” Jeff Schultz writes for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Horford is — was — the [...]
rash
January 13th, 2012
1:52 pm
yall people are loosers a man gets hut and then all the post is about how sorry of a team the hawks is…get real he will be missed but this team is still good and they can sign a player to help …
jdewayneatl
January 13th, 2012
1:53 pm
Al is totally overrated on this team. You people act like we lost Dwight Howard. The fact is Al was only the 3rd most important player for this team, behind Joe and Josh. LD said it, Al Horford has developed into a role player (”he is a glue guy”). Come on, Al has not performed when he has needed to. We beat Orlando in the playoffs last year not because of Al but because of Collins, Zaza, Joe, Jamal, and Kirk. We competed against Chicago not because of Al but because of Teague and Josh Smith.
It is becoming very apparent that Al is on his way to being a much better Kurt Thomas instead of the Karl Malone type player that everything about him wishes it to be.
Shant
January 13th, 2012
2:13 pm
Al is a great player but you guys give him to much credit for what he does… Josh as far as iv seen has got no credit Its him that carry’s the team… When josh drives in no one not even Lebron can stop him. Joe johnson over payed? Yes! but hes doing what we need him too hes getting us our points when we need him most and hes the only shooting guard that can post up and score regardless…marvin williams plays great hes busting 3’s and he plays big, teague hes one of the fastest in the nba…our bench all vets but that’s smart we start off with fresh legs to take the lead and those old players keep the lead. Zaza doesn’t need more time he does not do that good during the season he does good in playoff …hawks have a great team they have to open and relize that no team has suched balanced players…everyone depends on some amount of players for ex. Heat= Dwayne,Lebron,Bosh… Orlando: Dwight, Lakers: Kobe, pau,bynum Clippers: Blake, Paul,Jordan… but for hawks every player that goes in is a threat that’s what other teams don’t have
jase
January 13th, 2012
2:17 pm
i think we answered that last night. sure it was the bobcats but they can be pesky and we blew them out by 30 POINTS. ivan johnson is a key player now and yes it hurts to lose horford but we are just fine. watch and see.
Maurice
January 13th, 2012
2:31 pm
Go Hawks!
yodaddybrother
January 13th, 2012
4:58 pm
Get Rasheed Wallace back here right now
Lea
January 13th, 2012
5:01 pm
I stopped reading when you called al our best and most important player. The one player we can not afford to lose is joe johnson not AL Horford. He will ne missed defensively and in some pick and pop situations, but this team can still be competitive without him.
Slimjr
January 13th, 2012
5:45 pm
They look bigger with overrated All NBA gone! Josh will be putting up Allstar numbers during this stretch!
Won by 30 last night and looked smooth on offense doing it! They’ll be a okay!
NATIVE SON
January 13th, 2012
6:10 pm
I for one, scratched my head when they picked Horford, but I came to see some value in him as a player. He was okay when he didn’t have to play a real dominant center, as he really is out of position. My problem is I don’t really know where he fits. His post moves are too deliberate, and his jumper is too flat. In the end, it shouldn’t be too hard for the Hawks to replace 12pts- 7 rbds. The Hawks real strength will be their bench.
Reggie
January 13th, 2012
10:38 pm
The only player on this team they can’t afford to lose is Josh Smith. To everyone who thinks the Hawks can’t make the playoffs in the Eastern Conf. without Al Horford please stop….you sound like fools.
tree rollins
January 14th, 2012
12:52 am
I’m planning on signing with them next week after I pass physical – watch for the Tree!
beejayrufino
January 14th, 2012
5:04 am
I think the Pacers, Magic, Sixers, Bulls, Heat and Knicks are happy now! But still my never changing loyal support is still for ATLANTA HAWKS, Go Hawks!!!
hawk-nest monster
January 14th, 2012
1:21 pm
I don’t know if Jeff Schultz has even watched the Hawks play. This season, Al Horford has been our Achilles’ heel. I love Al, but he doesn’t box out, and guards can rebound over him. His jump shot is great, but we don’t rely on it nearly as much as we did last season. That’s because we’re a legit team now, with a legit pg to run the show. He has no post game (and I mean NO POST GAME) and he doesn’t know how to set a screen. He’s a defensive liability, the opponents constantly exploit the mismatch at center. Al is a solid player, but this team will be better without him, trust me.
hawk-nest monster
January 14th, 2012
1:34 pm
and reggie,
well said. couldn’t agree more. J-smoov is one player we can’t afford to lose.
bobby
January 15th, 2012
12:09 pm
I say cut our losses with Grady cut him and never look back, i would sign Gilbert Arenas to replace him. And go after Ilgauskas to replace Hoford,
Watch out for that Tree
January 16th, 2012
3:55 am
Sorrry no chance Joe Johnson say we are elite team of what losers is what u mean with Josh(give me ball are will cry)Smith Joe(say it ain”t so)Johnson and rest gang of idiots we have shot i say now cause we playin lame teams be 39-27 record but as fast you can Micheal Gearon Jr co-loser owners with rest of the jerks of owners which shultz still kiss ass on them will lost in first round 4-0..and we will blame it on 1. The Nba strike as always 2…blame the thrashers for it cause cause owners to sale team and they were happy when sale died,,3, Blame the braves are the 4th reason Bad GM and no True center n Point Guard1…The end and i still never set foot in Phillips arena see any basketball are see wimpy women play!
Mediocrity
January 16th, 2012
1:37 pm
It doesnt really matter…..Hawks are not title contenders anyway. They will still make the playoffs, lose in 1st or 2nd round. Yes they are better with Horford, but still not going to beat the Heat or Bulls in the playoffs even with him. Good team, not Elite….just like every other Atlanta sports team the last few years.
Jeff
January 16th, 2012
6:33 pm
Really???? 5 and 0
Jim
January 16th, 2012
8:28 pm
Horford and Teague are dependable players simply because they learned to play the game against good college competition and had good college coaches to teach them. Josh Smith is, and will always be, a misguided missile. The NBA does not develop talent. If the players bring no basketball intelligence with them, they won’t pick it up miraculously in the NBA. If our hopes ride on Smith, we are fooling ourselves. It ain’t gonna happen.
CGD..
January 17th, 2012
11:12 am
Now D12 has put the Clippers on his list as a potential next stop! No surprises there?
Birdman
January 18th, 2012
11:08 am
I agree Horford is a legitiamate NBA star and a winner on and off the court. No head to toe tatoos on him. Sorry Dennis Rodman wanna be(s). Maybe we will finally get a center good enough to start in the NBA, and put Horford at power forward. It took year to get a point guard after fans were begging. Now while Joe & Josh are still in thier prime get a center and we can really challenge in the playoffs. I’m just sayin’,I wanna be season ticket holder!
Birdman
January 18th, 2012
11:14 am
Tree,
They are no longer getting extra long beds like at Clemson to come back for the Hawks (laugh). You were the straw at Clemson and the Hawks, so now you can come a coach our big men if Drew will let you. We could definitely use a shot blocker, defensive minded, TEAM PLAYER! You were a great teammate and ambassador for the game.