
Embiid Recognizes Horford’s Case for All-Star Starting Role
BOSTON – An hour before tonight’s Atlantic Division battle commences at TD Garden, Celtics big man Al Horford and his 76ers counterpart, Joel Embiid, will both likely have their eyes glued to a television screen inside their respective locker rooms. At 6 p.m., All-Star Game starters will be announced live on TNT, and the frontcourt foes are both vying for one of the Eastern Conference’s starting spots.
All-Star fan voting concluded Jan. 15 at 11:59 p.m., and it’s anticipated that two of the East’s frontcourt spots will be handed to Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Cleveland’s LeBron James. The third and final spot, however, remains up in the air. And it appears as if it may come between Horford and Embiid.
Twenty-two-year-old Embiid said following Philadelphia’s shootaround this morning that it would be a “great accomplishment” for him to be voted into his first All-Star game, but he also acknowledged Horford’s case.
The often self-promoting big man was asked at one point if he’d like to make an argument for his own case, but he instead turned his attention toward Horford’s accomplishments.
“They’ve got the best record in the East, you can argue for that,” said Embiid. “And he’s a big part of it. He’s done a great job, a fantastic job this year. I enjoy watching him play. I enjoy playing against him.”
Embiid’s averages of 23.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.9 blocks over 31 games are more impressive than Horford’s marks of 13.4 points 7.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.0 blocks over 41 games. But as Embiid noted, Horford is “a big part” of the Celtics’ success this season, and that goes far beyond his statistical contributions.
On the offensive end, Horford, a 31-year-old four-time All-Star, has been largely responsible for leading Boston’s charge this season. He’s consistently recognized by his teammates and opponents, alike, as one of the best playmaking bigs in the league. His top-notch passing abilities and strong basketball IQ are attributes that benefit the entire Celtics team.
Horford is also shooting 52.0 percent from the field and a career-high 43.3 percent from 3-point range, while Embiid is shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 28.9 percent from long range.
Defensively, Horford is regarded as one of the best of his craft. He’s extremely versatile on that end, and always knows where to position himself in order to cut off passing lanes or contest shots. The veteran big man’s efforts have been pivotal for Boston’s league-leading defense, which is allowing the lowest scoring margin (98.1 PPG) in the East.
Combine all of those attributes and you’ve got an extremely well-rounded basketball player who has played a huge part in leading his team to an Eastern Conference-best record of 34-11.
All of that is not to say that Embiid isn’t a well-rounded player, as well. The 7-foot center is without a doubt one of the most impressive rising stars in the league, and he will likely be a perennial All-Star for his entire career. But his strong statistics have not made enough of a difference to make Philadelphia into a winning team. The youthful 76ers are currently ranked ninth in the East with a mediocre record of 20-20.
Embiid certainly would be deserving of an All-Star staring role if he gets the nod tonight, but as he acknowledges, Horford makes one heck of a case as well.