Tristan Thompson is Al Horford’s kryptonite

Ever since Al Horford signed a four-year deal with the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2016, one thing seems to be common: When the Cleveland Cavaliers and Celtics meet, Horford always seems to struggle against Tristan Thompson. That trend has continued so far in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Although Boston may hold a 2-1 lead in the series, Horford hasn’t been able to find his groove offensively when he has Thompson staring him down. The Celtics’ power forward has had his way when Thompson is not on the floor. That much was most apparent in Game 1, when Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue decided to bring his big man Thompson off the bench and used Kevin Love at center as the starter, forcing the smaller Love to go against Horford in the paint.

In Game 1, a game that the Cavs lost by 30, the 6-foot-10 forward had his way with Cleveland. Horford totaled 20 points, six assists, four rebounds, and two blocks while shooting a super efficient 8-of-10 from the floor and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc in just 27 minutes. In the two games since, he has combined to notch just 22 points to go along with 17 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks, and two steals. While he has still grabbed plenty of rebounds, the biggest difference is his production in the scoring column, which is what the Cavs are worried about the most. While averaging just 11 points a game in Games 2 and 3 after notching 20 in Game 1, he has also shot just 7-of-17 over the last two games, including just 2-of-6 from three-point range.

The biggest difference from Game 1 to Games 2 and 3? Head coach Tyronn Lue inserted Thompson into the starting lineup, making the big man Horford’s primary defender.

It’s not just these Eastern Conference Finals that Thompson has owned Horford defensively either. It’s happened basically ever since Horford joined the Celtics two years ago. Let’s take a look at his numbers over the last two years with Thompson on and off the court:

Whether it’s due to Thompson’s length, physicality, versatility, or just the fact that he’s seemingly in Horford’s head now, he’s a major reason why the Cavs have been able to slow down the Celtics, especially in Game 3. Usually, Boston’s power forward is not only racking up points in the scoring column, but also finding teammates for assists as well. With Lue making sure Thompson is guarding him as much as possible, Horford is not only struggling to find any success but worrying about his shot as well. It’s not just the fact that he is much less efficient against Thompson, but he seems to be scared when the 6-foot-9 center is in his face, not giving him any room to move as well. This stat is courtesy of Fear The Sword’s Mike Zavagno.

The largest key for Thompson guarding Horford has been deterrence
Horford has only attempted 6 shots on 87 possessions (3 3PA)
He has shot 58.6% fewer shots than expected per 100 possessions when guarded by Thompson

— Mike Zavagno (@MZavagno11) May 20, 2018

Thompson’s not only making it tough for Horford on the offensive end, but he’s providing some offense for the Cavs as well. Since being inserted into the starting lineup prior to Game 2, the 27-year-old has averaged nine points and seven rebounds while shooting 67 percent from the floor in just over 26 minutes a night. Along with that, he’s also grabbing 3.5 offensive rebounds a game as well. When he’s not dominating the offensive boards, he draws fouls against opponents, giving the Cavs another possession too.

While his numbers may not catch the eye of many, what Thompson has brought to the wine and gold this postseason can’t go unnoticed. If he can continue to score and rebound while making things tough for Horford, the Cavs’ big man could be a key reason why Cleveland will recover from a 0-2 deficit and make their fourth straight NBA Finals appearance.