How to Guard Al Horford
Al does most of his damage from three-point (63.3% of his attempts) and is a below-the-arc scorer. The plan below is built from where he actually shoots this season.
Where Al scores
Share of his 2025-26 field-goal attempts by zone, with how efficiently he finishes each. This is the map the game plan is built on.
The scouting report: how to defend Al
Chase over screens
Al is a real volume threat from deep (36.1% on 205 attempts, 63.3% of his shots). Go over ball screens, top-lock him off the ball, and never help off him on the perimeter.
Get Al's full matchup plan
The page above is the shot profile. HoopBrief turns it into a complete game plan, the exact coverage to run, on-ball positioning by spot, whistle tendencies, and the one counter to deny, in your own coaching lens.
Frequently asked questions
How do you guard Al Horford?
Chase over screens: Al is a real volume threat from deep (36.1% on 205 attempts, 63.3% of his shots). Go over ball screens, top-lock him off the ball, and never help off him on the perimeter.
What is Al Horford's biggest weakness on offense?
Relative to the rest of his shot diet, Al is least efficient on his three-point attempts (36.1% on 205 shots this season). Steering him toward that shot, rather than the ones he makes at a high rate, is the statistical edge.
Is Al Horford a good three-point shooter?
Al has taken 205 three-pointers this season and made 74 of them (36.1%). That share of his offense (63.3% of his attempts) is what decides whether you chase him over screens or sag under them.
How many points per game does Al Horford average?
Al is averaging 8.3 points per game this season, along with 2.6 assists and 4.9 rebounds. Scoring volume is why he draws the defensive game plan on this page.
How to guard other players
Shot-profile and box-score figures reflect Al Horford's 2025-26 season. Defensive recommendations are generated from that shot distribution and are teaching guidance, not a guarantee of outcome.