Boston Celtics big man Al Horford continues to age like fine wine.
In his team’s 107-98 victory over the Magic in Game 4 of their first-round series, Horford became just the second player aged 38 or more to record five blocks. He joined the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in an exclusive list.
Besides the five blocks, Horford also contributed six points, six rebounds and two assists in the Celtics’ victory. A stat line of six points, six rebounds, two assists and five blocks doesn’t jump out of the window, but Horford made plenty of winning plays — on both ends of the floor — after the Celtics trailed at the start of the fourth quarter.
Al Horford’s Impact Goes Beyond Box Score
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla argued that there should be a separate category in the box score to recognize the impact of a player like Horford and his intangibles.
“There should be a separate stat sheet for guys like him because of the type of stuff that he does,” Mazzulla said. “… (He’s) just an unbelievable competitor. Made all the plays necessary to help us win.”
Horford was inserted into the starting unit due to the injury to Jrue Holiday. As such, the Florida alum was forced to play out of position and defend wings and guards, a task that can be overwhelming for a youngster, let alone someone in their late 30s. However, Horford never once complained and went about his job like a true pro.
Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown also couldn’t stop raving about Horford’s impact, especially at his age.
“I can’t say it enough: Al is unbelievable,” Tatum said, via Boston Herald. “Big moments, the game is tied, four minutes left and just making plays the entire night on both ends of the floor. 38 years old, he’s picking up full court, doing whatever is asked of him, and that just kind of sets the tone for everybody else. He’s got the heart of a champion.”
A Hall of Fame Worthy Career?
Brown echoed those sentiments.
“Tremendous, tremendous effort from Al down the stretch in that second half,” Brown said. “Big-time rebounds, some big-time plays. That block was huge. He just did what it took to win, and we don’t expect nothing less. That’s just Al Horford in a nutshell.”
Many analysts feel Horford would likely clinch a spot in the Naismith Hall of Fame with another championship ring.
Horford’s case became stronger after he played a key role in Boston’s run to the title in 2024. The five-time All-Star averaged 9.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists through 19 playoff games en route to the NBA Finals. In his career, Horford has averaged 12.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists in the regular season, and 12.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 blocks in the playoffs.
He also had a tremendous three-year run with the Florida Gators, which included two runs to the NCAA Championship in 2006 and 2007 and two All-American selections.
It’s undeniable that Horford’s overall body of work warrants consideration. A second NBA title will most likely seal the deal.
