Al Horford on coming off the bench: I respect the decisions that Joe Mazzulla is making
The fact he’s coming off the bench for virtually the first time in his now 17 seasons hasn’t dimmed any of his happiness. NBA situations are always subject to change (and coach Joe Mazzulla has said they likely will), but if this is to be Al Horford’s role, he just wants to get better at it. More consistent. “I respect the decisions that Joe is making, the way that he wants to go right now, and ultimately I want to win,” Horford tells Heavy Sports. “I’m always ready. I’m always prepared. This is something different for me. You know, I haven’t been in this position before. But right now I’m just going to continue to stay ready and do what I have to do.”
Source: Steve Bulpett @ Heavy.com
Source: Steve Bulpett @ Heavy.com
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Sean Deveney @SeanDeveney
From @SteveBHoop a DEEP conversation with @celtics veteran Al Horford on his role, retirement and future:
heavy.com/sports/boston-… – 12:05 PM
From @SteveBHoop a DEEP conversation with @celtics veteran Al Horford on his role, retirement and future:
heavy.com/sports/boston-… – 12:05 PM
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Al Horford stays being definitely one of the 50 best players in the league while never sniffing those top 100 ranking lists pic.twitter.com/hggN0J4l35 – 9:37 AM
Al Horford stays being definitely one of the 50 best players in the league while never sniffing those top 100 ranking lists pic.twitter.com/hggN0J4l35 – 9:37 AM
Cameron Tabatabaie @CTabatabaie
The Celtics had 55 rebounds against the Heat, including 16 OREBs
Tatum: 8
Porzingis: 9
Holiday: 10
White: 6
Brown: 6
Brissett: 5
Horford: 10 – 10:14 PM
The Celtics had 55 rebounds against the Heat, including 16 OREBs
Tatum: 8
Porzingis: 9
Holiday: 10
White: 6
Brown: 6
Brissett: 5
Horford: 10 – 10:14 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Kristaps Porzingis fouls out with 3:18 to go and the Celtics up by 7, so Al Horford will be out here closing alongside the four perimeter starters the rest of the way. – 9:53 PM
Kristaps Porzingis fouls out with 3:18 to go and the Celtics up by 7, so Al Horford will be out here closing alongside the four perimeter starters the rest of the way. – 9:53 PM
Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Porziņģis fouls out, Horford checks in at 0/6. KP was vital to the Celtics closing out the Knicks win, so this will be a big test. – 9:53 PM
Porziņģis fouls out, Horford checks in at 0/6. KP was vital to the Celtics closing out the Knicks win, so this will be a big test. – 9:53 PM
Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
It’ll be a tough call the way the #Heat have made Porzingis guard in space, but he’s still probably a better option than Horford here with his length. #Celtics will have no choice if he fouls again though. Up to 5 fouls after getting ISO’d by Butler. – 9:45 PM
It’ll be a tough call the way the #Heat have made Porzingis guard in space, but he’s still probably a better option than Horford here with his length. #Celtics will have no choice if he fouls again though. Up to 5 fouls after getting ISO’d by Butler. – 9:45 PM
John Karalis @John_Karalis
Smart to get Al Horford in for Porzingis to avoid him getting his 3rd foul at the end of the quarter – 8:41 PM
Smart to get Al Horford in for Porzingis to avoid him getting his 3rd foul at the end of the quarter – 8:41 PM
Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
Not a ton of offensive direction for the #celtics so far. Break a cold spell by lining up Jaylen against Dru Smith. Brissett, who has a nice DREB since coming in, keeps Brown’s and-one FT miss alive. Pritchard-Hauser-BRissett-Tatum-Horford down 26-20. – 8:06 PM
Not a ton of offensive direction for the #celtics so far. Break a cold spell by lining up Jaylen against Dru Smith. Brissett, who has a nice DREB since coming in, keeps Brown’s and-one FT miss alive. Pritchard-Hauser-BRissett-Tatum-Horford down 26-20. – 8:06 PM
Cameron Tabatabaie @CTabatabaie
Jaylen Brown completes the And-1
It’s him, Holiday, Hauser, Brissett, and Horford out there with the Celtics down early – 8:03 PM
Jaylen Brown completes the And-1
It’s him, Holiday, Hauser, Brissett, and Horford out there with the Celtics down early – 8:03 PM
John Karalis @John_Karalis
Porzingis staying on the floor. Horford is in so they’re going double big. White and Tatum sit – 7:55 PM
Porzingis staying on the floor. Horford is in so they’re going double big. White and Tatum sit – 7:55 PM
Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
Porzingis staying in with 2 fouls. Hauser subs for White and Horford for Tatum. – 7:55 PM
Porzingis staying in with 2 fouls. Hauser subs for White and Horford for Tatum. – 7:55 PM
Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
#Celtics might live with Bam going at KP, but this is where you’d think they’d start Horford to cover him and use KP away from the ball defensively. – 7:51 PM
#Celtics might live with Bam going at KP, but this is where you’d think they’d start Horford to cover him and use KP away from the ball defensively. – 7:51 PM
More on this storyline
“I love to play. I love the game,” he tells Heavy “I love the process. I just enjoy being part of a team and playing for something. I enjoy everything about it — the traveling, being with the guys — everything.” Including in “everything” is the intensity of the playoffs, the opportunity for a championship. “Obviously that’s something that I want of course,” Horford says. “You play for that. But this is my profession, and I’m in a position now where I feel like I can have an impact and I can still play at a very high level. That’s my biggest thing. Obviously, yeah, I would like to win a championship, but I’m not going to keep playing just for something like that.” -via Heavy.com / October 30, 2023
As far any consideration for what comes after the last one, he says, “Over the years I’ve thought about it. I was, ‘Oh, maybe I want to be a coach, or maybe I want to do this or maybe I want to do that.’ Right now, there’s really nothing that catches my eye that I want to do.” It’s not that he’s chasing thoughts away, covering his ears to avoid hearing the wolf at the door. “No, no, not necessarily,” Horford says. “I am curious to see what’s going to be the next transition for me, as far as what would I like to do. I explore certain things. I studied communications at (the University of) Florida, so I was like, maybe I could do some production stuff behind the scenes.” -via Heavy.com / October 30, 2023
Jay King: Al Horford raved about Kristaps Porzingis’ defense in the opener: “Kristaps with that back line was great protecting all of us. He really did a good job and I think he was the biggest difference because at the rim he was protecting us time after time.” -via Twitter @ByJayKing / October 26, 2023