So how's the Daniel Theis-as-replacement for Al Horford working?

The Boston Celtics' major issue this season was supposedly finding a capable replacement for the departed Al Horford. Al did a bit of everything on the floor for Boston, and quite a bit off of it. Well, now it looks like Horford's replacement was on board all along - and his name is Daniel Theis.

This is not what Al and the Sixers were expecting when Horford signed the 4-year, $109 million deal in the off-season. Al has lost his starting gig with the 76'ers, who now sit in fifth place in the East with a 35-21 record. The following is the headline from an article from the New York Post's Zach Braziller.

The 76ers have a $109 million Al Horford problem

Theis registered an impressive 25-point, 16-rebound double-double in the Celtics win last night over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Daniel has done admirably as Boston's man-in-the-middle, and for comparison I have adjusted Theis' stats to per-30.5-minutes status, the average minutes of Al Horford this season with Philadelphia.

Horford: 11.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 44% FG, 32% 3P, 73% FT

Theis: 11.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 55% FG, 31% 3P, 74% FT

Looks like a pretty even swap, doesn't it. The NBA Advanced Statistics show a similar picture. Daniel leads Al in Offensive Rating, Defensive Rating and Net Rating. And while Horford's extended $109 million deal seems to be a dilemma for Philly, the price for Theis is damn nice. Daniel is a bargain at $5 million this season, and the same amount for next season, which at least for now, is not guaranteed.

Daniel Theis may never achieve the 5-time All-Star status of Al Horford, but he seems to be the nearly-ideal center/power forward for a Celtics team that has such a potent scoring punch in the guise of Kemba Walker, Gordon Hayward and the Jay Team. Kudos to Danny Ainge for rolling the dice on Theis.

Follow Tom at @CelticsSentinel, @CausewayStreet and Facebook

Comments

The Elm Street Nightmare

A true-and-suspenseful horror tale of haunting, homicides and the hunt for triple-murderer, Daniel Laplante - as told by the cops that were there By Lt. Thomas Lane (Ret.) and Off. Steven Bezanson (Ret.) Daniel Laplante - cold, calm, clever, calculating- Photo: YouTube Elm Street surfaces on four occasions in the Laplante saga: 1.) He resided on Elm Street in Townsend, Massachusetts 2.) He kidnapped a woman at gunpoint on Elm Street, Pepperell , Massachusetts 3.) He was arrested and transported to Massachusetts State Police Barracks on Elm Street in Concord . 3.) He was tried, convicted and sentenced for the murders at Superior Court , corner of Elm Stree t and Gorham Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. When evil and cleverness reside in the same mind, the stage is often set for true horror. Such was the case with triple-murderer, Daniel Laplante . As a 16-year old , he quickly transitioned from: Minor thefts and breaking into homes To: Taunting and threatening a father and

Sign the Petition! Let's honor Tommy Heinsohn

No longtime Celtics fan can watch games this year without a somewhat heavy heart. For the last 50 plus years, we have been blessed as a franchise to have Tommy Heinsohn, Mr. Celtic himself, as a part of the organization. Whether it be as a player, coach, or commentator, Tommy has been an instrumental figure for the green, and his presence is missed on every broadcast. Nobody embodied what it meant to be a Celtic more than Tommy, and I know I miss his energy and ferocity every time Scal claims the refs "made the right call" against the Cs. While Tommy obviously belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Celtics, he is often overlooked in his place among the greats of NBA history. Looking back upon his life, one would be hard pressed to find someone with a bigger impact on NBA basketball than Mr. Celtic. For those who are unfamiliar, let's do a quick review. Tommy is one of 2 people to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as both a player and coach (the other being the indomitable Len

Using trade exception to acquire Aaron Gordon needs consideration

The Orlando Magic's Aaron Gordon was taken fourth-overall in the 2014 NBA draft, two spots before Boston picked Marcus Smart at #6. I felt at the time that Danny Ainge would have taken Gordon with the sixth pick if the 6'8" power forward was still on the board. Well now, with a $28.5 million trade exception in his hands, it may be time to consider adding the super-athletic wing. Here's why: Brad Stevens feels you can't have enough mid-sized wings Brad Stevens does not favor the "little guys" because they often get mis-matched on defense by taller opponents. He also is not fond of the old-school, big centers. In his mind, they just can't be effective on his switching, perimeter defensive strategies. Gordon's salary fits the trade exception Aaron is set to earn $18.1 million this season and $16.4 million in the 2021-22 season. His salary was front-loaded, and that relatively-low $16.1 million figure kicks in when Jayson Tatum's max contract goes

Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

Search This Blog