After historic Game 3 performance, Al Horford credits his faith for his longevity

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA — Fresh off of a whirlwind Game 3, Al Horford sat at the podium and centered his faith.

“First of all, for me, it’s the glory to the Lord for giving me this opportunity, putting me in this position,” he said matter-of-factly.

Horford, who turns 38 years old in a week, was just minutes removed from one of the most impactful playoff performances of his 16-year NBA career — a 23-point, 3-block performance — when he made a deliberate point to thank God for putting him in the position to succeed.

En route to the 114-111 victory, Horford became the oldest player in league history to make seven three-pointers in a playoff game.

“I’ve been very blessed to still be in this position, to be able to play at this type of level, to be a part of a team like the Celtics,” he said. “Really making sure I’m doing everything I can to contribute to the team.”

Since Kristaps Porzingis went down with a calf injury last month, Horford has stepped into a starter role and has been playing increased minutes. It hasn’t been completely seamless – he’s certainly faced moments of defensive struggles against Cleveland and some sporadic shooting struggles from beyond the arc – but overall, Horford has stepped up to the plate, averaging 10.2 points on 46.8% shooting. That’s a stark improvement from his 6.7 points, 38.6% shooting average from last postseason.

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

And on Saturday night, Horford was one of the main reasons the Celtics even had a chance. In large part thanks to the superb play of Andrew Nembhart (32 points) and T.J. McConnell (23 points), the Celtics faced an 18-point deficit in the third quarter and looked to be on the verge of dropping their first road game of the postseason.

But Horford kept them in it, hitting 4-of-8 first-half three-pointers and playing with energy even when the team as a whole lacked it. He nailed his only attempt from beyond the arc in the third quarter, before sinking two more in the fourth. And besides for his hot shooting, his poise helped keep his teammates engaged, even when the Pacers couldn’t miss and the Celtics struggled.

“Even when it wasn’t going well for us, which we have to expect that it’s not [going to] at times, we just kinda stayed right there,” Mazzulla said. “Al is kind of the anchor to that.”

His biggest three of the night came with 1:12 to play, when Jayson Tatum (36 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists) drove to the basket, saw Myles Turner collapsing onto him, and threw a perfect behind-the-back pass to Horford.

“I trusted that he was going to be there, he trusted that I would make the right read, and that was a hell of a shot that he made,” Tatum said.

That’s the advantage of having this type of playoff experience. Tatum and Horford have played in 85 playoff games together, including 24 in the conference finals alone. So, it’s not the first time that Tatum has thrown Horford a behind-the-back pass for an open three — a more simple version of the pass has actually become quite the staple — and it won’t be the last.

“These past few years we had some battles,” Horford said. “We’ve been through it. We understand that we’ve had some grueling tough series, and this one’s no different. This team is a very good team, they’re very dangerous, there’s a reason why they’re here.”

Horford’s performance would have been impressive regardless of his age, but as one of just a handful of NBA players 37 or older, his longevity is something he’s asked about it often. Oftentimes, he chuckles, seemingly getting a kick out of the media’s fascination with his age.

“It is pretty unique,” Horford said of his ability to perform at such a high level at his age. “It’s pretty special. I understand — I give the glory to the Lord. It’s just very special. It’s not me. This position that I’m in right now, it’s very unique. I’m very grateful for it.”

Pressed on why he referenced his faith so many times in this particular postgame presser, Horford explained that it is the most important thing in his life — and why he’s been able to play for as long as he has.

“It’s not like I’m going to necessarily bring it up all the time,” he said. “But I do want to recognize it and acknowledge it because, people ask, with my age and all these things, and how it is.”

“A lot of people do a lot of the physical things that I do, the same things that I do, and they’re not getting those results. I have promises and things with my faith that have put me in this position.”