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

Anna Horford let's fan know Al's value to the Boston Celtics

Some fans of pro basketball just take the contrary view just to be...well - contrary , with no solid basis for their stand. Such was the case when when Al Horford's sister, Anna Horford, overheard an argument centered around the value of her brother to the Boston Celtics . No true Boston fan doesn’t love Al!! — Stephanie (@smars319) November 23, 2021 Al's value. Let's take a look at his team stats : Scoring: 4th at 13.1 PPG Rebounds: 2nd at 8.7 RPG Assists: 3rd at 3.5 APG Steals: 4th at 0.9 SPG Blocks: 1st at 1.9 BPG (tied with Giannis for 6th place in the NBA) Minutes: 6th at 29.4 MPG One more thing about the blocks. That is new for Al . He is the only player over 29 years of age in the top-6 in blocks. Horford is 35. This gem-of-an-individual needs to prove nothing to Celtics fans, but I bet he needs to prove something to himself. Have I ever mentioned I love this guy?

Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

Search This Blog