Clippers Rumors: Al Horford to Lob City a playoff dream?
Al Horford the missing piece to help the Clippers advance past the first round?
Doc Rivers and his Los Angeles Clippers have made the playoff in each of the last 5 years and before then they missed the playoffs between 2006 and 2011.
The furthest round they have advanced to is the Conference Semi-Finals.
They were expected to advance past that round this year, yet due to injuries and off-court decisions they didn’t make it past the first round.
They lost to the Portland Trailblazers, not without fight making it go 6 games.
In this sixth and final game of the season for them, most of the bench played and only two starters played because of injuries and coaches decision(s).
Lob City put on a performance with the players they had available and made the game come down to the buzzer.
Unfortunately it did not go in their favor and they were sent home in the first round.
During this off-season, there has been multiple reports on their bench exploring the free agency markets.
Some of these players include Austin Rivers and Wesley Johnson along with others.
Also some of them are okay with returning back to Los Angeles.
Their back up center Cole Aldrich may even be looking in the free agency market or to be traded.
Lob city has made the playoffs consistently the last 5 years and this year they were brought into championship consideration and talks.
They need to find a way to stay healthy to advance in the playoffs and play together as a team.
The Clippers will be able to find some players in the draft who are defense-minded first and that is what this team needs.
They have plenty of offensive weapons and these players in the draft have good offense to compliment their excellent defense.
This team has great young centers in the front court who have great defense, but they need to work on their post game and maybe even jump shots.
Deandre Jordan and Aldrich are a good compliment to each other, what one can’t do the other can.
Aldrich may be leaving this year and the organization will need to find a good impactful backup.
Would a player who has been a starter their whole career be okay with coming off the bench similar to Andre Iguodala’s case.
Jordan cannot make his free throws down the stretch, that is a concern if they are going to have a chance to win the NBA Finals in the future.
There are multiple free agent power forwards and centers who can play both positions, one in particular that stands out is Al Horford from the Atlanta Hawks.
The difference is Al would know when to pass as that is his strongsuit.
Not only can he make his free twos along with his defensive abilities, but he also can knock down the three sometimes.
He has a great post game, and an eye for passing the ball.
His ability to pass the ball will help the Clippers out with their shooters, because he can find them when they get open and then grab the rebound if they miss.
This season he averaged about 15 points and 8 rebounds starting and playing nearly the entirety of the game.
Not only that but he has experience on making it to the Conference Finals, as his 2015 Atlanta Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
These Hawks lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but in the regular season were able to defeat the Golden State Warriors.
Many fans wanted to see that game and were not able to.
Al could enter the end of the game for Jordan to help sustain the lead, by his excellent passing and shooting.
This would make it harder for teams to do hack-a-jordan and would make for fun basketball.
If Aldrich leaves LA, then Horford is one of a few good matches for the Clippers because of his defensive proweress and knack for passing first, shoot second.
He is unselfish and that is what this Clippers organization needs.
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To be considered a NBA Finals team you have to stay healthy, have the right mindset along with players, and play as a team not as an individual.
Can Horford help the Clippers accomplish that or no?