Darius Garland thought he had the matchup he wanted.
The shifty guard got the switch onto Al Horford and accelerated toward the basket. But as Garland rose up with his right hand, Horford came from behind and swatted the ball off the glass. The rejection led to a Derrick White three, extending Boston’s lead to eight with 4:23 remaining.
On Cleveland’s next possession, Horford struck again—this time, blocking a Georges Niang layup attempt.
It was all the separation Boston needed.
Six months ago, Horford crushed the Cavaliers’ playoff hopes with 22 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. On Tuesday night, he was at it again, snapping Cleveland’s franchise-record 15-game winning streak with 20 points, seven rebounds, three blocks, and a game-high +18 plus-minus.
His presence was felt all night. Beyond the mere box score metrics, the ever-so-steady Horford locked down on switches defensively and created opportunities on offense.
"Al is just a calming presence out there," Jayson Tatum said. "He just does so many different things for us. Sometimes they show up in the stat sheet, and sometimes they don’t. But just him being on the court with us helps our spacing. Helps with our defense. He’s such a good passer – a willing passer. We’re just a much better team when Al is out there and being aggressive."
The Celtics know how lucky they are to have a steady presence like Horford. It may not always make headlines, but Horford consistently does his job night in and night out. The 18-year vet, dubbed “The OG” by his teammates, is a leader and an inspiration, setting the standard for the entire squad. But above all, he delivers every single night. No matter the role, he does whatever is asked of him—and whatever it takes to help the team win.
"He’s just an innate competitor," coach Joe Mazzulla said. "I don’t think people realize that sometimes because of how quiet of a guy he is, but he is an innate competitor, and he has an ability to inspire people around him. He did that in Game 5 here last year, against them. He’s a great leader — Sometimes his actions are so loud, and his competitiveness is so loud — tonight was one of those nights."
At 38 years old, Horford became the oldest player in NBA history to log 20 points, four three-pointers, and three blocks in a game. This comes on the heels of his 18-point, five-three-pointer performance in Saturday night’s overtime win over the Toronto Raptors.
For some, Horford’s sustained excellence may be surprising. But for those who know him and play alongside him, it’s expected. He’s continually improving different areas of his game to extend his longevity—notably his three-point shooting.
Horford is getting his shot off quicker, and he’s doing so with incredible efficiency. He’s knocking down 2.4 threes per game on 5.0 attempts, shooting an impressive 47.7% from beyond the arc. That drive to improve has not gone unnoticed, catching the eye of Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, who worked with Horford for three seasons as an assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta from 2013 to 2016.
“It doesn’t surprise me because of his elite approach to every day. I was around it,” Atkinson said on Horford’s longevity. “I saw it every day. It’s probably tops I’ve seen in terms of taking care of his body, everything off the court – work ethic, hunger to improve – All the stuff that that goes into longevity. It’s incredible. The shooting piece is incredible. Before, he needed time to get it off. Now, he needs no time. He gets that thing off so quick. He’s improved that. It’s an incredible story. I love the guy. He’s the epitome of a great professional professional. I’m really happy for his success.”
To put that improvement into perspective, Horford has already attempted 65 three-pointers through 13 games this season. By contrast, in his first two seasons with Atkinson—when he was in his seventh year as a professional—Horford attempted just 47 threes in 105 games. It was a necessary adaptation that not only extended his career but also made him a more dangerous player.
Horford’s value to the Celtics cannot be overstated. He’s the glue that holds everything together, an essential piece of the puzzle—no matter how his role shifts when Kristaps Porzingis returns. Just like last year, they’ll lean on him plenty as they look to make another championship run.
Tuesday night’s win over Cleveland was a powerful reminder of his irreplaceable value.
“It was just about finishing the job,” Horford said. “I felt like we played really well in the first half. In the third, they cut into the lead, and in the fourth, they got in there, and it was a back-and-forth. It’s like, ‘Man, like we put ourselves in a position, we’ve got to finish this and see it through.’”
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