Al Horford took the floor for the first time for the Warriors on Sunday night, helping his new team to a 111-103 preseason win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The stakes were low for the 39-year-old man in one of likely a few preseason tuneup appearances for the former Celtics big man but he did a little bit of everything in his debut, stuffing the box score with three points, four rebounds, three blocks and a steal in 14 minutes. Notably, Steve Kerr elected to bring the big man off the bench in his first appearance with Draymond Green starting at center.
“Fun,” Kerr told reporters of Horford’s debut. “Just to see the size and the shooting ability, passing ability, just the flow of the game. What an addition he is. We can play him with anybody. We played him with Quinten Post in the last four minutes left of the second quarter. We went on a huge run. So he fits any lineup, makes any lineup better, we’re lucky to have him.”
Horford’s decision to play with the Warriors was largely influenced by the opportunity to play with Stephen Curry and that match looked seamless in their minutes together, with the veteran duo connecting on a pretty give-and-go in their first minutes together.
“Obviously high IQ, experience, championship caliber player,” Stephen Curry told reporters in San Francisco of Horford. “That can really fit with any lineup out there. He gives us space, he gives us presence on the defensive end. You saw the pass he made to me out the corner on the give and go, so it’s just kind of unspoken chemistry that will continue to get better. But he is kind of multi-dimensional as a five man. And excited to see what that looks like for me, for Jimmy, JK, Draymond, any lineup you can throw him out there at the five and he kind of lifts the group.”
Horford came off the bench for the Celtics for the first time in his career over the past two seasons but he ended up starting the majority of those appearances in Boston filling in for any other sidelined starters with 75 starts in his 125 appearances. Steve Kerr acknowledged last week that he was considering bringing Horford off the bench and going with a smaller lineup look despite the fact the big man is the best center on the roster.
“We have to preserve all of our older guys some,” Kerr said Sunday night. “As best we can, have them ready for the playoffs. So that’s the idea. There’s no question he’s still got it, he’s still an incredible player and great fit for us. It’s really fun to see him with our group.”
Horford averaged 27 minutes per game over the last two seasons but that’s a number the Warriors may try to reduce more in hopes of keeping the 18-year-veteran as his best for the postseason. Horford and the Warriors will face the Lakers in a road matchup to kickoff their regular season schedule on Oct. 21.
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