The Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks second-round matchup saw an unlikely hero lead the Celtics to a win over the Bucks to tie the series up at 2-2. That hero was Al Horford, a player Boston reacquired this season after letting him go in 2019 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Horford had a 30-point night, with a lot of his damage coming in the fourth quarter. Giannis Antetokounmpo was being his usual dominant self when he started feeling himself a little too much and stared Horford down. However, Al didn’t appreciate that one bit, so he responded by torching the Bucks, with Giannis not able to do anything to stop it.
That staredown evidently pissed Horford off, as even his sister said she knew the game would be over after that staredown. After the game, Horford spoke about that incident and everything that happened in the fourth quarter.
Al Horford on Giannis' stare down: "The way he was looking at me and was going about it didn't sit well with me. At that point something switched with me." pic.twitter.com/5pnEOoI5xx
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 10, 2022
“I don’t really know what he said to me, but the way he was looking at me and the way that was going about it really didn’t sit well with me. And at that point, something switched with me in the game.”
Horford’s 30 points is a career playoff-high for him and it came at the best possible moment. Horford’s play in the fourth quarter was much-needed to stop the Celtics from going down 3-1. The performance has kept Boston in the series, and with the series going back to the TD Garden, could give the Celts an advantage.
Giannis’s defense in the fourth quarter was lacking, as well as the entire Bucks. The Celtics scored 43 points in the fourth quarter, a mark that should be unacceptable for the reigning champions. Hopefully, they come out swinging next game and can put up a fight to defend their NBA championship. Another performance like this could end their hopes before they even realize it.
