Boston Celtics: If Al Horford opted in team would be NBA title favorites

A first-round matchup between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers will be fun for Al Horford, but he could be having more fun if he opted in.

When Kyrie Irving took his talents to the Brooklyn Nets, most Boston Celtics fans saw the departure as a relief.  However, when Al Horford shocked the team and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, many fans saw it as a bigger loss.

The veteran big man is not the superstar Irving is, but his value to the Celtics was represented a greater loss in that he was a veteran big man who provided leadership on and off the court.

His presence not only helped young players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, his savviness on both offense and defense gave fits to the one man he went to team up with in Philly, Joel Embiid.

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A move that looked to put the 76ers over the top in the East has instead become mostly a disappointment for Al Horford.  As his Philly team has underachieved into the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference, he has watched his former team and first-round playoff opponent both grow and excel, which makes the matchup a fun one for the veteran big man.

"“We knew it was a possibility,” Horford said, via Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn.  “For us, it’s just a great opportunity.  I, myself, am grateful for another year to be in the playoffs and be able to compete and go out there and do what we do.  It’s part of the business.  Obviously, we’ve already played them plenty of times this year so that effect is out of the way, so now we can go out there and compete.  It should be a fun series.”"

But, in the back of Horford’s mind, he has to be kicking himself with how the season has gone for both teams.  With the 76ers without Ben Simmons and the Celtics playing their best basketball going into the NBA bubble post season, it’s hard not to think what would’ve been.

Al Horford would’ve put the Boston Celtics over the top

With the Boston Celtics adding a veteran All-Star in Kemba Walker, along with the emergence of both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown into All-Star level players, Al Horford would’ve been the man in the middle in a lineup that also includes a healthy Gordon Hayward.

If they are considered the top starting five in the NBA with Daniel Theis playing the five, imagine if Horford opted in and was that tough, veteran defensive presence that frustrated Joel Embiid and at least got in the way of Giannis Antetokounmpo.  Not only would the Celtics be a favorite to come out of the Eastern conference in the current NBA bubble format, they would have to be considered championship favorites.

Yes, Horford is that good and valuable…at least to how the Celtics play basketball.

While Al Horford did leave Boston in good terms, he is that piece they are missing which is no knock-on Daniel Theis, Enes Kanter or Robert Williams.  But, having the big man in the middle would give the Celtics that big man depth that serves as one of their flaws going into the postseason.

In averaging 11.9 points and 6.9 rebounds, Horford has regressed a little, but the fact that he is wearing the opposite uniform could be the biggest challenge for the Boston Celtics in the series with the Philadelphia 76ers simply because he knows his former team well.

They also know him.  While slowing Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris will be keys to knocking out the 76ers, the No. 3 seed Celtics need to make sure their old friend Al Horford does not become the difference maker in this series.

Of course, if he was wearing the green and white along with Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward, this series would be no contest even if Ben Simmons was healthy and on the court.