Al Horford not joking about being an elite shooter

BOSTON -- Al Horford has hit a bit of a cold spell from behind the arc. But his confidence isn't taking a hit.

Speaking to reporters on Friday ahead of Game 3 against the 76ers, Horford was asked what's changed about his 3-point shot.

"Not much difference really," Horford answered. "I'm still getting good looks and opportunity to shoot 'em. Even throughout the season, I went through ups and downs, and that's just a part of it when you're when you're an elite shooter."

For some reason, that line made one reporter in the scrum laugh out loud. Horford assured that reporter that this was no joke.

"You're laughing. You don't think I'm an elite shooter?" Horford asked the reporter. 

The reporter then insisted that he does believe Horford is an elite shooter. 

"My numbers don't support it?" Horford asked.

"They do," the reporter replied. 

Horford then finished his thought. 

"You know, we go through walls, so just staying confident and ready to go," he said.

The 36-year-old Horford has certainly earned the label as an elite shooter, as he ranked second in the NBA with a 44.6 3-point percentage this year. It's been quite the rise for a big man who didn't regularly attempt threes until his ninth NBA season in 2015-16. He's hit 37.6 percent of his threes since 2016, but he's gone cold over the last five games, hitting just 21.7 percent of his 23 threes in that span. That included a 1-for-8 showing in Boston's Game 2 win, making Horford just 2-for-12 from downtown in the series.