Al Horford got off to a slow start for the Warriors, but he had perhaps his best game of the season Sunday in a blowout win over the Pacers. Horford missed Golden State’s last game due to a foot issue, leading to a short absence.
Horford also started 5-for-24 (20.8%) on 3-pointers to open the year as part of a shooting slump. But Horford shot 4-for-6 on 3s in the Pacers win, finishing with 12 points, four rebounds and three blocks in 18 minutes. He also credited Jimmy Butler for helping him break out of his slow start.
“Jimmy, right away, made it a clear point to look for me,” Horford told reporters. “There were a few times he had layups and he was looking to kick it out and encouraging me to shoot the ball. The passes are there. They’re on the money. I credit that a lot to him for kind of getting me going offensively.”
Horford, 39, signed with the Warriors in hopes of competing for a title. Considering the Celtics are in rebuild mode with Jayson Tatum sidelined indefinitely, it was unlikely Boston was going to offer a chance to contend for another championship. The Warriors have been up-and-down to open the year, putting together a 6-5 record thus far.
Horford was expected to fit in well with the Warriors as a floor-spacing big man who can also pass and set screens. While Horford got off to the slow start, he’s shown that he can be a reliable 3-point shooting big man over the past few seasons. So there wasn’t a huge concern when it came to him raising his 3-point percentage.
“Just getting acclimated to playing at different times and different rotations and different players,” Horford said. “I’m getting to know everybody, getting to know our system. It’s something that I’m going to continue to work through and try to feel it out and see which way I can impact the game.”
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