BOSTON – When Kristaps Porzingis suffered a calf strain during Game 4 of the first round, it was a devastating blow for the Boston Celtics. Fortunately, their roster is built to sustain such adversity, and Al Horford’s presence is a major reason.
Horford stepped into Porzingis’ starting role in Game 5 and helped the Celtics knock out the Miami Heat with a 118-84 win. And he’s prepared to continue to step up during the indefinite timeframe that Porzingis remains out.
For a 17-year vet who has started more than 1,200 games in his regular season and playoff career, there couldn’t be a much better option than Horford, and a situation such as this is exactly what his sixth-man role calls for.
“I think that from experience over the years, you would like for everything to go super smooth, but that’s not always the case,” Horford said following Friday’s practice. “My preparation just doesn't change. Every day, I feel like I'm very consistent in my approach, in the things that I need to do, and I just think now that maybe more will be asked of me. But I'm still going about it the same way, so I don't think there's anything that I really need to alter or do. We've been very consistent with our work all season and I feel like it’s not going to be any different now.”
Horford was a sparkplug during Boston’s 34-point blowout, providing hustle plays while pumping up both his teammates and the crowd. His peers recognize how valuable of a catalyst he can be, seeing his energy affects everyone around him.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla noted after Game 5 how “Al kind of sets the temperature for us with just his ability to impact the game basketball-wise, but also with his personality and his aggressiveness. He set the table for us tonight, he set the tone for us, and everybody followed suit.”
Horford sets the tone with a lead-by-example style. He’s the embodiment of consistency and his approach never wavers regardless of whether he’s starting or coming off the bench.
“I want to make sure that defensively I’m solid, that I’m giving support to the group, and that I'm doing the things that I need to do on that end,” he said. “My job doesn’t change. And then on offense, continuing to stay ready and do whatever I need to do. For me, it's just all about continuing to impact winning, so it doesn't change.”
The only difference now is that he’s starting, which also means that other bigs will have to fill in the gaps behind him.
“I'm expecting some of our guys to step up – whether it’s Luke (Kornet), whether it’s Neemi (Neemias Queta), whether it’s Xavier (Tillman Sr.) – to step up and be able to play minutes for us when their number is called. That's something that I’m excited about: for their opportunity.”
Likewise, Horford’s teammates are excited to see what he’s going to bring in his elevated role, as he often tends to rise to the occasion in the playoffs.
“He’s our OG, the truest pro,” Payton Pritchard said. “How he handles himself is unbelievable. I’ve watched him on the daily, how he goes about his work and his mentality. So he’s a big part of this.”