The $109 Million Insurance Policy

For any other city, when you receive news your star player is going to have a prolonged injury abscence right before a huge game, the fan base likely spirals. I mean, that’s huge news! There is now a void where your best player was and you’re not only disappointed but terrified. But, not if you’re a Philly fan.

You know when you go to the dentist for a procedure and they numb your mouth to the point you can’t feel the pain going on in front of you? Imagine that but for you heart. That’s what being a Philly sports fan is like. When Carson Wentz gets speared in the head and Joel Embiid’s finger goes the wrong way, you can see and acknowledge that the pain is existing in front of your very eyes, but you can’t feel it anymore.

So instead of wallowing in our sorrows, us Sixers fans turned to Plan B: Al Horford baby!! Al Horford is a $109 million insurance policy that we all knew would turn into Plan A at some point. We have had Embiid for 5 years now. Half a decade. Not one of those seasons has he remained healthy or reliable. They had to invest in a backup plan this past off-season, because this moment was inevitable.

And what better what for The Insurance Policy (new nickname alert) to showcase his value than against the scummy Boston Celtics team he used to play for. While Boston pays Enes Kanter to get eaten alive by Norvel Pelle, the Sixers paid Big Al to close out games just like this:

It’ll take a team effort to fill the void left by Embiid. But, winning the season series against Boston in a game where Horford scores 15+ points for the first time in a month is the best place to start.

Here’s to more performances like that one. Here’s to Ben Simmons clamping all-star point guards while taking a leadership role. And here’s to Al Horford kicking basketballs off the noggin of unsuspecting fans after a win:

 

By Aidan Powers | January 10, 2020
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