Al Horford To the Atlanta Rescue

698 days have come and gone since Al Horford was in the playoffs. If it sounds like a long time, it is. But you learn how to get by. Last year, without him, the Atlanta Hawks leaned on Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague. It took a game 7 for the Indiana Pacers to get rid of the eighth seeded Hawks. Ironically, it was on that same exact date only a year earlier that Al Horford would last taste the playoffs.

May 3, 2013 was a raucous Friday night in Atlanta. The Pacers shook off the crowd though and led for 40 minutes to finish off a close out game six. For his part, Al Horford tried to bring the Hawks back. The last shot he made would nearly echo in its significance. It would be his last shot in the playoffs. It was a two pointer that cut the lead to three. Two and a half minutes were left in the game, time for the Hawks to do something on offense and defense.

But David West scored on a layup. Jeff Teague lost the ball. Kyle Korver missed a three point shot. Josh Smith had his perimeter shot blocked then he fouled Lance Stephenson. A five point lead became seven. With 37 seconds left in the Hawks season, Paul George blocked Kyle Korver’s three pointer. David West was fouled and Al Horford watched his season abruptly end.

At that moment, at the moment when the Pacers celebrated themselves and a few of them came over to Horford, it wasn’t particularly awkward. Losing is always rough but the Pacers had been the third best team in the Eastern Conference. They had home court in the series against the Hawks. They were supposed to win this and they did.

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But what no one would know on that Friday night was that Al Horford would have a near two year playoff drought. He would miss this for a long, long time.

Mar 30, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) blocks a shot by Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) in the fourth quarter of their game at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 101-88. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

The closest Al Horford has come to a Conference Finals appearance was four years ago, in 2011, when the Hawks played the Chicago Bulls in the second round. The Bulls were the #1 seed and the Hawks were the #5 seed, coming off an upset win of Orlando. The Hawks went into Chicago and won game one because Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford had a 56 point offensive burst. In Atlanta, Derrick Rose had 44 points to retake home court and the Bulls had a pretty easy time of the series after that, even though the Hawks won game 4.

Now, it is a reversal of fortune. It is the Hawks with the best record in the East, the clear cut favorite only if you consider they have home court advantage. They won 19 games in a row earlier this year. They lapped up the Eastern Conference field. They won more conference games than Cleveland. They won more road games than Cleveland. They won more home games than Cleveland. Their defense was better than Cleveland’s. Their win differential was higher. They had a higher winning percentage.

The Conference Title is theirs to lose. The pressure is all on the Atlanta Hawks to validate their brilliant regular season. Al Horford knows this. He also knows the playoffs are tough and that winning is hard.

"“It’s a very difficult challenge to play the same team all of the time. They know all your plays. They know all of your coverages. It will get heated, that’s great. You want to play in those types of games.” (NBA.com)"

Before, this year, the Atlanta Hawks playoff experience had been pretty miserable. Here and there were nice moments but they have never been able to finish the job. It’s been five years since the Hawks have had home court advantage in the first round. The Hawks needed seven games to fight off the Milwaukee Bucks in 2010. In the next series, they were swept by the Orlando Magic.

These are Al Horford’s prime basketball years and for the first time in three years he is completely healthy as he approaches a long playoff run with the best team he has had in his eight year Atlanta Hawk career. He’s led the franchise the right way, with humility and off the court empathy and compassion. If anyone deserves success based on his character and what he has given Atlanta over the years, it is Horford.

But the NBA playoffs are not about what you deserve. They are not a reward for good behavior. They are a testament on what you earn, how you handle adversity, your ability to uplift your team. Can you make an impact is just as important as can you lead?

Being special in the regular season is not the same as being special in the post-season. Al Horford is not a one man show out there but he’s been with the organization the longest, and so he has seniority and a lot of believers who want success for him as much as they want it for the city. Al Horford loves this team, he thinks they are ready.

"“There is really no limit for us.”(NBA.com)"

Next: Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder Look To Dominate Playoffs