Al Horford just torched the Los Angeles Clippers—and he did it all in the span of six vital minutes in the fourth quarter, where the Warriors' entire season hung in the balance between life and death.
With the Warriors advancing to a second do-or-die game against the Phoenix Suns, it's overwhelmingly likely that neither the Dubs nor the Suns will see the second round, given that their opponents are the fearsome top seed and defending champs in Oklahoma City.
With Golden State's inevitable elimination and increasingly dubious future thanks to Jimmy Butler's injury earlier this season, Horford might just opt out of his player option this summer. If Atlanta is to make a convincing argument for their former franchise cornerstone to return, they first have to prove to Big Al that they're not pretenders.
Al Horford's fourth quarter explosion kept Golden State's season alive
Though Horford may be 39 years old, he just proved not only that he still belongs in the league, but he can be a legitimate rotation piece for a contending squad.
While it was Stephen Curry who stole the show with his 35 points on 7-of-12 from range on the offensive end, and Draymond Green who shone the brightest on the defensive end, locking down Los Angeles' primary weapon Kawhi Leonard, it was Horford who turned everything around when all hope seemed lost.
Horford drilled four consecutive 3-point looks in the fourth quarter, bringing the Warriors back from down seven with under six minutes to play, to up two with two minutes left on the clock. It's no overstatement to say that the Warriors' season would be over if not for Horford.
Al Horford wants to join a contender. Golden State may no longer fit
Al Horford has made it extremely clear that he wants to play for a contender.
Of course, his decision to join Golden State ultimately backfired due to three critical factors. First, Golden State's phenomenal Jimmy Butler going down with an injury earlier this regular season all but snuffed out all hope the franchise had at a dark horse tital run.
Second, the Boston Celtics—whom Horford departed from under somewhat mysterious circumstances—were able to miraculously hold water without Horford, Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Jayson Tatum. That brings us lastly to Tatum's shockingly quick return, appearing to be in full health before the NBA Playoffs are set to begin.
While his play for the Warriors has been excellent, it's become clear that he won't be winning a ring with an aging Steph Curry and an injured Jimmy Butler anytime soon. If he doesn't start the 2026-2027 season in Golden State, he'll no doubt be looking for a contending squad in need of frontcourt depth.
Exemplified by Jock Landale's recent injury, can you think of a team that could benefit from Al's presence down low on a near-minimum contract?
Atlanta's case to Horford is stronger if they can upset New York
Just as Damian Lillard returned to the Portland Trail Blazers, so too could Al Horford rejoin the Hawks in an effort to lift them to the next level, whilst returning to his roots where he grew to be great.
The Hawks will need to convince Horford a bit more than this, though—a gargantuan reason Horford left Boston for The Bay Area was Golden State's solid playoff run in 2025. While the Dubs fell in five to a stronger Minnesota team, they upset Houston in seven games in the first round, proving they still had some juice left.
If Atlanta can mimic this pattern, they must at minimum topple the third-seeded Knicks to convince Horford they're a competitive suitor for his talents next season.
While Horford may be 40 years old next year, modern medicine has significantly transcended what fans thought was possible. Big Al may not produce like 41-year-old LeBron James, but he'd certainly be a welcome addition to a legitimate title contender.
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