Where should Al Horford play: 4 or 5?

[Bobshot]

This article says Horford should play the 5 and stay mostly inside, while Olynyk should play the 4, mostly outside.

http://www.celticslife.com/2017/01/video-breaking-down-al-horfords.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

To me, Olynyk makes more sense at the 4, since he can shoot outside and isn't very good inside.

To complicate things, Al's sister tweeted several days ago Al prefers to play the 4, and the Celtics need to trade for a 5.

The article also says the Celtics apparently aren't interested in Millsap. Millsap is miles above Olynyk as a player.

No way the Celtics beat Toronto if the Raptors get Millsap.

I expanded the options in the poll.

[saltlover]

He should play both.  Horford is too versatile of a player to be pinned to one role.

[jpotter33]

Al is clearly a 5, and he has been his entire career. So it's not surprising that he's struggling now trying to play the 4.

He's got to realize that he's hurting our defense significantly with his lack of quickness and foot speed when going out to cover stretch 4's, as evidenced by the last half dozen games or so, especially the Cleveland game where Love abused him.

I prefer JJ to KO in the starting lineup, but I support any move that moves Horford back to his true/natural position at center.

EDIT: Of course, I'm willing to let Horford play the 4 under the condition that we get a significant upgrade at center (like Boogie) or we get a more mobile center like Noel who can cover the quicker 4's out on the perimeter.

[Ogaju]

with the amount of layups he blows and the amount of three pointers he makes, he should play the 4.

[jpotter33]

with the amount of layups he blows and the amount of three pointers he makes, he should play the 4.

This post is concerning defense, not offense. Al can call himself whatever he wants offensively, but he's clearly a center defensively. And I think there's sufficient evidence to back up this claim now at this point in the season.

[fantankerous]

Does the four/five division still make sense?  Should the question be two bigs or one big and a small-ball four?

[tarheelsxxiii]

Kelly's perimeter defense leaves few options in some situations, correct?  High BBIQ unfortunately doesn't make up for lack of lateral movement, over-aggression (foul after getting beat off the dribble), or under-aggression (inconsistent).

[greece66]

IMO tankaterous and saltlover make a good point. The original piece by 'coach Nick' was about whom Horford is paired with.

The name of the position/role might lead to fruitless semantics.

[GreenWarrior]

I don't like the options in the poll, but that's not the poster's fault.

horford is a PF, not a center. we have no center.

[Bobshot]

with the amount of layups he blows and the amount of three pointers he makes, he should play the 4.

This post is concerning defense, not offense. Al can call himself whatever he wants offensively, but he's clearly a center defensively. And I think there's sufficient evidence to back up this claim now at this point in the season.

Agreed. The arguments are mainly defensive. He is saying Al can't guard smaller 4s and is better off being the rim protector inside.

He had the 5 role in Atlanta, and they won 60 games with Millsap at the 4. They played well together, and Horford's 3P numbers indicate he got plenty of perimeter use.

The way Stevens is using (or should use) Horford is at the 4 with AJ at the 5 (which he does), and at the 5 with Olynyk at the 4 (not sure he does). That keeps AJ inside and KO outside.

[Chris22]

Get Noel.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Get Noel.

Noel can't guard Brook Lopez

[jpotter33]

Get Noel.

Noel can't guard Brook Lopez

Why is this relevant? lol Are the Nets going to be someone who we'll have to face in the playoffs any time soon?

Noel's a perfect defensive complement to Horford, who lacks the mobility and foot speed that Noel does. None of the teams we'll have to go through in the playoffs have anyone as big and offensively gifted like Lopez, so even if that is true, it doesn't really matter.

The closest guy like that is JV in Toronto, who is far from Lopez's level, though Al can effectively guard him and he's not been playing all that much lately anyways. Noel would probably be needed to chase the stretch 4 around anyways, which is crazy given his length and ability to affect shots out there.

[LilRip]

I tend to get less hung up on the "4 or 5" talk. It's a match up game. I'm cool with Horford playing either position as long as we somehow get an upgrade in the other position. For example, if we get Cousins, then by all means play Horford at the 4.

I don't know if I buy Horford being a worse defender than Olynyk. Its not like KO is fleet of foot either and I don't think KO would've been effective defending Kevin Love while still helping out to stop penetration (a popular example being used nowadays). But maybe that's just me.

[Celtics4ever]

CBS does not use typical NBA positions.   Swings, Bigs and guards isn't that what he uses?