Boston Celtics Commentary: Al Horford is a Difference Maker

Boston Celtics star forward Al Horford is back and doing all the little things necessary to lead his team to victory.

Don’t look now, but Al Horford has already made an impact since his return from the NBA’s procession protocol. The Boston Celtics forward has come back strong and is showing just why he was one of the prize free agents this past offseason.

In just his second game back since returning, Horford helped the Celtics to a 99-93 comeback victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night. He scored 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks in 36 minutes. But, it wasn’t the stats that stood out during the final stretch of the game, it was the defense he played on young star Karl-Anthony Towns.

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Horford limited the easy baskets by Towns while at the same time contributing on the offensive end by scoring some key buckets and dissing out three assists, one of which was a great batted pass that ended up becoming one of the biggest plays of the game.

"“It was an incredible play by Al Horford. [Thomas] probably shouldn’t have thrown into him, but Al read that Smart was the right guy and he just tapped it out,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said after the game via ESPN. “It was a great play.”"

The big assist came a night after Horford scored the winning basket against the Detroit Pistons and ended the game with a block shot. His overall game and presence on the court has helped the Celtics get back to their winning ways. What he does may not stand out as far as his overall numbers, but the little things he does to help his team win is what makes having him on the court huge for the team.

Just look at the team’s record when he is available verses their record with him out of the lineup. With Horford, the Celtics are 4-1 and without him they are 4-5. In those five games, he is averaging 14.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.6 blocks. The numbers aren’t staggering, but just the mere fact that the team’s defense is 10 points better per 100 procession with him on the court is worth the $113 million they invested in him this past summer.

In summary, Al Horford is proving himself as a big piece of the puzzle. The Boston Celtics just need to find that other piece to become a team that can truly contend with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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