Joe Mazzulla has officially announced the addition of another great player.
Al Horford, a driving force behind the Celtics’ success, keeps demonstrating why he’s such a significant player.
Boston has the “best starting five in basketball,” according to Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle, after the Celtics defeated the Pacers 118-101.
Permit me to clarify that. In the NBA, the Celtics have the best top six. Al Horford is a player that any team would be lucky to have on their roster, even though he was ignored in the post-game remarks.
I genuinely can’t get enough of Horford, and it seems like the team and Celtics supporters share this sentiment. He has accepted his new role off the bench wholeheartedly in the midst of his 17th NBA season.
He just makes the most of his time, and on Saturday night, he did just that. During a post-match interview with Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston, Jayson Tatum gave his teammate a lot of praise.
Tatum said, “We can’t keep taking him for granted.” “He’s the most professional teammate I’ve ever had, and we can always rely on him,” the author writes. Tonight, he once again demonstrated that.
Horford finished with ten points on two of five three-pointers (40%) and four of five field goals (80 percent). He was also brilliant defensively, recording two blocks and one steal. The Dominican native finished with eight assists and seven rebounds in thirty minutes, flirting with a triple double.
Late in the fourth quarter, he made the biggest statement of the evening. Number 42 was able to pick up the screen on Oshae Brissett against Tyrese Haliburton and make a crucial steal that resulted in an alley-oop to Jaylen Brown during the fast break transition.
Midway through the first quarter, Kristaps Porzingis went down with an eye injury. Horford filled in flawlessly. The former Florida Gator was everywhere on the court for the C’s, never missing a beat.
Among his other standout performances of the evening was a huge block on center Myles Turner. All night long, he demonstrated his ability to cover the perimeter and then retreat. Turner was actually held to 0% three-point shooting by him.
Despite having a huge impact on the game, Horford frequently produced clever, small-scale plays that went unnoticed in the box score. His ability to spread the floor gave Tatum and Jaylen Brown numerous chances to get isolated.
Tatum, on the other hand, had multiple opportunities after dragging Turner into the paint. Tatum ended with a season-high eight three-pointers. All season long, Horford’s capacity for patience to hold out for open looks with double coverage has been crucial for Boston.
The center’s keen observation of teammates and Derrick White off-screen demonstrated his high IQ. He made deft passes to the weak side and even spotted Jrue Holiday for an open three, demonstrating his excellent vision.
Tatum and other players were able to score three points thanks to his effective screens. Turner’s box outs were crucial in the post because they gave the C’s rebounding opportunities.
This man, is there anything he cannot do?
He was well-known for his selfless play and made multiple two-handed passes to the open corner. In case you were doubting his physical prowess, Horford hasn’t slowed down. He was dishing out dimes in midair from the paint to the corner and was seen saving misdirected passes.
Horford was frequently observed carefully directing traffic on defense, particularly when he shared the court with Luke Kornet. This demonstrates not only his seasoned leadership on the court but also the team’s general regard for and trust in him.
Horford was referred to as “the best” by Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla in a post-game interview.
“He’s a guy you can always count on,” Mazzulla said, citing his offensive rebounds and high-hand steals during transitions.
I feel at ease on the court whenever he steps on it. To be honest, Horford is the only player I would rather have as a sixth man. Horford, who is still a true gem in the hunt for Banner 18, is still Ol’ Reliable. He is a player who, regardless of his position, gives Boston his all every night. What more could you possibly want?
