Al Horford’s Return Cements His Value To Celtics

Al Horford was the lone bright spot on a Celtics frontcourt which struggled against Andre Drummond & Co. in Boston’s narrow 94-92 win over the Pistons on Saturday night.

For all intents and purposes, the Boston Celtics should not have sniffed a victory in their defeat of the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.

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Detroit center Andre Drummond manhandled the likes of Boston’s Amir Johnson down low to the tune of 20 points and 17 rebounds, pacing the Pistons frontcourt to an evisceration of the Celtics rotating cast of big men. This excluded one man, however, newly returned free agent acquisition Al Horford.

While Horford’s counterparts in the paint scuffled through measly performances, as Johnson posted a plus-minus of -10, center Kelly Olynyk compiled a -11 plus-minus, and seven-footer Tyler Zeller garnered a -1 plus-minus in just four minutes of playing time, the former Hawks All-Star shined. He posted a tremendous plus-minus of +17 while scintillating in every facet of the game.

Horford was just one of three Celtics to post double digits in scoring with 18 points while snatching 11 rebounds, the only player not named Marcus Smart to grab more than seven boards on the night. Showing no ill effects from the concussion symptoms that he has been battling over the past two weeks, he was effective on the defensive end with three blocks, showed off his tremendous court vision with five assists, and ran the floor with ease.

Not to mention his game-winning tip-in with 1.3 seconds remaining to give Boston a 94-92 lead, or his game-saving block of an Aron Baynes jump shot as time expired to clinch the victory.

Horford’s performance over the course of his 34 minutes of playing time simply certified his meaning to a 7-6 Boston team that fared just 4-5 without him. His three-point shooting helped to spread out the floor, allowing penetration for the likes of point guard Isaiah Thomas and shooting guard Avery Bradley. He provided a legitimate scoring option for the Celtics to utilize in the paint.

Additionally, he added the defensive and rebounding capacities that his backup, Olynyk simply does not bring to the table. While the long-haired seven-footer does help space the floor similar to Horford with his outside shooting capabilities, he is simply a liability on the other side of the floor. Olynyk was exposed throughout his 14 minutes of action by a sizable Pistons lineup, grabbing just a single rebound while being eaten alive in the paint.

With Horford returned to the lineup, the Celtics have the option of solely utilizing Olynyk for small-ball purposes, giving them a more substantial rebounding presence when their opposition counters with more size inside.

Returning to the offensive side of the ball, Boston has not had a screen setter with the ability of Horford since the days of Kevin Garnett. Thomas and Horford have a keen sense of chemistry in the pick-and-roll, exemplified by the plethora of occasions in which Horford set screens for Thomas just inside the top of the key. This created numerous driving opportunities for Thomas, who capitalized to the tune of 24 points on the night.

We also saw the pick-and-roll come to fruition in a critical moment of the contest. With 1:45 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Celtics trailing 87-86, Horford set a screen for Smart on the perimeter late in the shot clock. The defense quickly hedged towards Smart, leaving Horford wide open for a split second. Horford was able to rapidly make the defense pay for this lapse, stealthily sliding through the gap for an easy dunk off of a beauty of a bounce pass by Smart.

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Without Horford in the lineup, this bucket does not occur, and perhaps Boston allows the victory to slip between its figures.