NBA Dream Team: 2016 Playoffs edition Round 1
The 2016 NBA Playoffs have been a mixed bag so far, in terms of competitiveness. Teams like the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder have breezed into the next round in either four or five games.
The other four match-ups have been hard fought and have been pushed to Game 6 or in some cases Game 7. Second seeded in the East, the Toronto Raptors would not have expected a flight back to Indianapolis for Game 6 in their series with the Indiana Pacers.
All of the remaining series’ could end on Friday with the Portland Trailblazers’, Raptors and the Charlotte Hornets having a chance to advance to the next round of the Playoffs. Even if any team fails to wrap it up, Game 7 is scheduled for Sunday.
So through two weeks of 2016 post-season, here’s a NBA Dream Team edition for the first round:
Center: Al Horford – Atlanta Hawks
First round averages: 12.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.7 blocks
The absence of a dominant post-up center in the Playoffs has made it much harder to decide this spot for the team than any other. We go with Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks who did anything the team needed him to do. He scored, rebounded, dished out dimes and blocked shots (three games with more than 3 blocks).
Horford can post up but he’s more of a modern day big man, who can run the fast break, shot 15-20 foot jumpers (or even three’s) and make nifty passes. By no means is Horford the back bone of his team on either end of the court. It’s Atlanta’s team mentality that makes his presence and play crucial to their success.
Again, Horford is not someone who is going to garner a lot of attention in the league. Nobody will hear tales of how dominant or unstoppable Horford was this season but clearly he’s been a step ahead of other center’s in the league, when it comes to positively contributing to their team’s success.
DeAndre Jordan’s free throws, Dwight Howard’s lack of effort, Andre Drummond facing a tough match-up in the Cavaliers and the likes of Hassan Whiteside and Jonas Valanciunas not being consistent, all made it possible for Horford to sneak into this spot.