Getty Philadelphia 76ers Al Horford.
One hilarious nugget buried from the Sixers-Warriors game was one player’s questionable shooting stroke. It was downright puzzling to some.
Al Horford’s release is unorthodox, to say the least. It looks like he flicks the ball and shoves it toward the hoop as his hands part like the Red Sea, with one hand in front of the other one. On Tuesday, Steph Curry couldn’t get over how strange Horford’s form was and was captured trying to mimic it and make sense of it from his seat on the Warriors’ bench.
Curry, who has been out since Nov. 1 with a broken left hand, and teammate Jordan Poole were both observing Horford shoot free throws late in the fourth quarter during the Sixers’ 115-104 victory.
Horford’s shooting form got Steph sick 🤮🤣
Say what you will about Horford’s stroke but it’s worked for 13 seasons in the NBA. The big man has averaged 14 points per game for his career while shooting 52-percent from the floor, including 36-percent from three. He scored 12 points and pulled down 11 rebounds on Tuesday versus Golden State.
Horford Out Tonight versus Atlanta
Al Horford got 31 minutes of burn in Tuesday night’s win over Golden State. Perhaps the Sixers should have rested the 6-foot-8 forward-center to keep him fresh.
Remember, the 33-year-old Horford is already battling a few different injuries, including a left-hand sprain and left knee soreness. Per The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey, the knee will keep him out of Thursday night’s showdown in Atlanta. Ben Simmons is considered probable to play with a “minor upper respiratory illness.”
Horford suffered from tendinitis, or “runner’s knee,” down the stretch last year for Boston and the team put him on a load management type of schedule. It will be interesting to see how the Sixers monitor him for the remainder of the season. The good news is that Joel Embiid will be out there and showed no rust as he scored 24 points in his first game back in the starting lineup.
Horford’s Ugly Shot Been the Thing His Whole Career
It doesn’t how matter who makes fun of Al Horford, the guy is going to ball out. He’s been doing it for years.
In 2018, Horford’s name popped up on a shortlist of the “8 Great NBA Shooters With Ugly Shooting Forms,” per Fadeaway World. It should be noted that the list included some pretty good company, including Kobe Bryant’s famed sidekick in Los Angeles, Derek Fisher, and Celtics legend and Hall-of-Fame forward Larry Bird.
Al Horford from downtown!
He’s got 12 on the board tonight as he lands his second triple tonight.
This is what the website wrote about Horford and his unusual form:
Al Horford is one of the most underrated players in the league. He’s a master of the intangibles, a guy that can lead the break, find the open guy, and even consistently score from three-point territory.
Horford’s shot is awkward, to say the least, shooting with his arms wide open in a frontal manner that’s just odd to watch. He’s coming off a great shooting season, knocking down 42% of his three-pointers.
Horford has played for three different NBA franchises in a 13-year career. He’s a five-time All-Star and most recently qualified in the 2017-18 season.