The Boston Celtics came away with a dominant 121-110 win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, giving them some momentum heading into the remainder of the season. Given that the win came against Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, two key rotation players from their championship squad, the Celtics are sure to relish this victory.
Going up against Al Horford may have been an interesting affair, since he was the only player who chose to leave in free agency. While reasons for this have been mentioned in passing, after the game, Horford provided an ambiguous explanation for his decision.
“For me, the decision is something that’s deeper than just the basketball stuff,” Horford stated. “And it’s something that at some point I’ll share with people, but for me, it felt like it was the time for me to go elsewhere.”
Horford continued by giving an open-ended response regarding his future in the NBA, emphasizing that his main focus was on finishing this season. However, in the context of his earlier reasons for leaving Boston, his current comments do raise some eyebrows.
Given the success he enjoyed with the franchise and the positive response he received from the fans, it is difficult to imagine what else could have led him to choose the Warriors. When additionally factoring in some comments made by his sister at the time of the 2022 NBA Finals against the Warriors, his decision in free agency certainly leaves room for speculation.
Al Horford Could Have Been A Celtics Legend
For all intents and purposes, Al Horford was on track to become a Celtics legend. After joining the team for his first stint in the 2016-17 season, he didn’t enjoy much success outside of being named an All-Star. In his second stint with the team, beginning with the 2021-22 season, Horford was far more relevant as a role player and leader.
Following the result of Thursday night’s game, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reiterated how much he valued Horford, stating:
“At the end of the day, I’m just grateful that I got to coach him, but more grateful- He’s obviously, to me, a Hall-of-Famer, and he’s one of the guys when I first got the job that he had my back. And I think that says a lot about who he is as a veteran.”
Over an elapsed seven-year period as a Celtics player, Horford posted averages of 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. While being one of the most reliable floor-spacing big men in Boston’s lineup, he was also an elite defensive player and one of their most intelligent assets on the floor.
Al Horford’s value to the Celtics could not have been captured in the stat sheet, and his crucial contributions during their 2024 championship run only highlighted this.
All things considered, losing Al Horford may have been largely unfavorable for Boston, especially after the challenges they faced heading into the new season.
While the Celtics (2nd in the East) found a way to adapt to Horford’s absence, the Warriors (8th in the West) have relegated the veteran big man to a role off the bench. Unfortunately, with averages of 7.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 42.9% from the field and 33.8% from three-point range this season, it is safe to say that he has not lived up to expectations.
