Even after an abysmal start to the season, the Boston Celtics are in the NBA Finals with a chance to take home their 18th championship.
Al Horford, who turned 36 yesterday, has been among the most shocking contributors for the team this season, and Jayson Tatum made sure to show him some appreciation ahead of Game 2:
“Al (Horford) is the best teammate ever, just a consummate professional.”
Jayson Tatum: “Al (Horford) is the best teammate ever, just a consummate professional.” #Celtics #NBAFinals
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) June 4, 2022
Horford has had a few big performances so far, including his 26-point explosion in Game 1 on Thursday. Besides giving Boston some size and scoring, he gives them some wisdom and guidance, which was put on full display from the moment he arrived:
“Right now, this is who we are. We’re searching. Definitely,” said Horford in December. “It comes from all of us. You know, Coach does what he has to do. But at the end of the day, it has to come from each individual player. We need to be accountable and held accountable. Individually, we need to look in the mirror.”
Whatever happened in the aftermath of that statement, things did change for the Celtics. They learned how to play together and turned their defense into one of the best in basketball
Now, they are within three games of winning a title, and Horford has become one of the biggest success stories. Behind his play and leadership, the team has grown and matured in many ways. if not for his takeover in Game 1, the Celtics might not be up in these Finals right now.
Regarding how things will end, nobody can say for sure. The current series is still up for grabs. But, at the very least, you have to give the Cs credit for making the right adjustments and coming together to find their best form.
