Jeff Teague and Al Horford have played together for years. They have great pick and roll/pop chemistry, as Horford throws down another Teague alley-oop.
Jeff Teague and Al Horford are easily the two longest tenured Atlanta Hawks. Both were former first round picks and have been key pieces in Atlanta’s climb to playoff relevancy under third-year head coach Mike Budenholzer.
Teague and Horford have worked together for years to formulate a great pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop tandem on the Atlanta offense. Halfway through the third quarter in Game 1 between the Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics, Teague and Horford showcased another alley-oop masterpiece.
Up 60-51 with 6:20 remaining in the third quarter, Teague draws the attention of three Celtics defenders at the top of the key. Horford quietly slips behind two of them and gets in front of Jae Crowder for an impromptu alley-oop with Teague.
Horford may be 6’10” and plays out of position at center, but he does offer great lateral quickness and strong play above the rim. He frequently is a key target for when the Hawks’ offense tries to go vertical, often times in transition.
The Celtics will try to play their brand of small ball in this highly competitive No. 4/No. 5 series, but Horford could prove problematic for Boston if he chooses to play a physical brand of basketball in the low post. While he does have a strong mid-range game for someone of his size, Atlanta plays its best basketball when he is willing to go inside and wreak havoc on the glass on both ends of the floor.
Teague thrives under pressure and seems to play his best basketball late in the fourth quarter. Perhaps he and Horford’s years of offensive chemistry will continue to bode well for Atlanta as they push for another deep run in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
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