Is Game 1 a must-win for the Celtics?
As the Celtics were preparing for their Game 1 matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, their practice came to a sudden halt. It was 36-year-old Al Horford that called for the stoppage due to his displeasure in regards to the team’s approach during the practice session.
“There was a point today in practice where it was a little light, guys were a little loose,” Malcolm Brogdon recalled to the media after practice. “Al brought us together in the middle of practice and told us to tighten it up.”
Horford demanding the most of his teammates isn’t a rarity according to Robert Williams.
“That’s all the time,” Williams said. “He’s always getting on our ass when we need it.”
Horford, who is in his 16th NBA season, is the oldest and most experienced Celtic, and while he is still leaving his mark on the court, his work as a leader off the court has been just as valuable. Veteran leadership is oftentimes a key component when a team is attempting to make a deep postseason run, and Horford has provided that invaluable voice for the Celtics this season.
“The guy we followed all season, our leader, is Al Horford,” said Brogdon. “Al’s been that special leader for us all season.”
Horford’s leadership has been on full display this postseason. It has been Horford addressing his teammates on the sideline frequently during timeouts and stoppages this season. In Boston’s Game 5 loss to Philadelphia, Horford was seen giving advice to Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart as the clock dwindled down. Horford also set the tone in Game 6, as he gave a commanding speech to his teammates during a timeout that completely changed the game.
What impressed Brogdon most about Horford’s leadership is that everyone on the team values his feedback, including Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who are among the top players in the league.
“You know you have a special leader when guys like Jayson Tatum, a top-five player in the world, and Jaylen Brown, another top player in the world, listen to him,” Brogdon said. “They want his feedback, they want his leadership.”
When it comes to Horford, who turns 37 in early June, you don’t know how many more chances he will have to win a championship, and that’s something his teammates acknowledge.
“That’s a huge piece for us,” Brogdon said when asked about the idea of wanting to win a championship for Horford. “Al has given this league so much, this organization so much, these guys so much, and I think a big piece for us is to want to see him go out on top. Go out with a championship, go out with a ring because he’s more deserving than anybody.”
Horford has only missed the playoffs twice in his career since being drafted third overall by Atlanta in 2007, and prior to last season’s Finals appearance, no player in NBA history had appeared in as many playoff games as Horford without making it to the NBA Finals.
Horford will have the opportunity to make it back to the NBA’s biggest stage beginning Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m.
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