The absence of Isaiah Thomas has opened up assist opportunities for Al Horford and his prolific passing has transformed him into an elite FanDuel NBA prospect.
Typically centers in the midst of a stretch shooting 38.6 percent from the field won’t increase their value in FanDuel NBA tournament play.
Boston Celtics center Al Horford has propped up his status as a premier FanDuel NBA player in the past week, even while struggling with his shot, by replacing injured All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas as the facilitator of the offense.
A groin injury will prevent Thomas from playing Sunday night in Oklahoma City, and has forced him to miss the past two games, enabling Horford to create scoring opportunities for his teammates.
The tactic has worked, resulting in 7.7 assists per game in the last three outings, a dramatic increase over his time in Atlanta.
During his 10 seasons with the Hawks, Horford dished out eight or more assists just seven times in 578 career games.
In just 13 appearances with Boston, Horford has reached the eight-assist mark on three occasions, as he has developed an instant connection with shooting guard Avery Bradley, resulting in 1.5 assists a night.
When he hasn’t been setting up teammates for easy looks at the basket, Horford can dash to the rim and throw it down.
Drive-Through! @Al_Horford down the lane and.. CRUNCH! #Celtics #NBAVine https://t.co/GWHUNOzvWm
— NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2016
The absence of Thomas has resulted in averages of 16.7 points, 7.7 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks, generating three straight games with at least 33 points in FanDuel NBA tournament play.
Few players in league history have ever combined the ability to score, rebound, pass and block as frequently as Horford.
Giannis Antetokounmpo joins Horford as the only player in the NBA averaging at least 15 points, five assists, five rebounds and two blocks per game. Horford is posting 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists (most among all centers) and 2.5 blocks per game.
In league history, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton have ever submitted the same figures.
Boston is relying on Horford to direct the offense, and with the increased workload, he is capable of tallying significant numbers in multiple categories — a perfect storm for FanDuel NBA success.