The Atlanta Hawks are currently involved in a tough first-round series with the Boston Celtics, but the biggest storyline from the game was a comment made by Celtics analyst Tommy Heinsohn.
Following the Hawks' 102-101 victory over the Celtics in Game 1, Heinsohn said that Al Horford was “not a great player.” Horford, who posted 24 points and 12 rebounds in the win, responded to the remarks when asked about it on Monday:
“I didn’t see it, but that’s his opinion, you gotta respect it. I do [respect his opinion]. That’s his opinion and that’s how he feels.”
Heinsohn's full comment was in regards to the Celtics erasing a 19-point deficit by nearly defeating the Hawks:
“The fact that [the Celtics] turned it around shows what kind of heart this basketball team has. The additional encouraging part is if they can go out and stay aggressive at both ends of the floor, they can beat this team because Horford, as much as you think he’s a great player, he’s not a great player. Get a man on him and he has trouble scoring.”
Despite the slight, the four-time All-Star remains focused on Game 2, which take place on Tuesday night in Atlanta:
“I’ve been in the league a long time. I know I have to focus on my team and this is the playoffs, we’re in a great position and we have a great opportunity, so we’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
All things considered, Heinsohn probably didn't mean any disrespect to Horford when he said that he's not a great player. While the Hawks center is a proven veteran who has been to multiple All-Star Games and has been in the playoffs for the last nine years, most would agree he's not in the same tier as guys such as Stephen Curry and LeBron James.
While what Heinsohn said may be true, it's only going to provide motivation for a Hawks team that already has a 1-0 series lead entering Game 2.
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