Al Horford admits he needs to ‘be better’ amid early struggles with Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Warriors veteran center Al Horford recognizes he has fallen short since his arrival to the Bay Area.
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In an exclusive interview with The Athletic’s Nick Friedell, the 39-year-old big man reflected on his first two months as a part of Golden State, which he joined in late September on a multi-year contract.
The 19-year NBA veteran’s self-assessment? Harsh yet honest and accurate.
“I’m not where I want to be,” Horford told Friedell on Thursday. “I would say I haven’t been very good. I understand that there’s a lot of work ahead of me, there’s more that I need to do, and I need to be better, and I feel like I will. But right now, I’m not where I want to be.”
To say that Horford’s adjustment to the Warriors has been less than ideal is an understatement.
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The former All-Star and NBA champion, who won’t play back-to-back games this season, only has featured in 13 games for Golden State, averaging career-lows of 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 21.5 minutes.
On Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers, Horford returned after missing two weeks due to sciatica.
“It’s not so much frustrating,” Horford told Friedell. “It’s just that there are a lot of different circumstances going on. Whether it’s injury, missing time away from the team, there’s a lot of factors, and there’s no excuses, but I take all of this first part with a hint of salt, and I know that I will be better. So I know that I will be better.”
Outside of adjusting to a new system, injuries and playing for a team based west of the Great Plains, Horford and his wife, Amelia, recently welcomed their sixth child.
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It has been a whirlwind, but Horford knows exactly what parts of his game he has to improve on.
“For me, it’s continuing to figure everything out defensively,” Horford added to Friedell. “So being more of a support on the defensive end. And then on offense, getting more comfortable in spots so I can impact the team.
“Being able to get to the right spots to shoot the three, and just giving the team more on the offensive end. Whether it’s setting screens, getting guys open, things like that. That’s always something that I’m going to continue to try to be better at.”
Horford made his first start of the season in the Warriors’ 99-98 loss to the 76ers.
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And although his performance wasn’t the most convincing, it’s a step in the right direction for the veteran, especially during a time in which an injury-riddled Warriors could benefit from the brand of basketball that has kept Horford in the league for nearly two decades.
“That’s always been my mindset,” Horford told Friedell. “And I understand it, but right now the team needs me. We need to be a little better, and this is a part of it; it’s a part of the journey. But in my mind, I know where I need to be when that time comes.”
