Boston Celtics: The definitive guide to next year’s center rotation
By Jack Simone
Ol’ reliable Al Horford (20-25 mins)
Big Al is back in Boston! Though he may not be at the All-Star level he once was at, he is still producing solid numbers.
He averaged 14.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in his 28 games with the Thunder, shooting 45 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from deep. The team went 11-17 with Horford playing and 11-33 without him in the lineup.
The veteran big man averaged 27.9 minutes in the 28 games he played for the Thunder last season. He is still fully capable of playing starter minutes.
However, with Robert Williams in the mix, don’t be surprised to see Horford coming off the bench. It’s just a matter of whether or not Williams is healthy enough to start.
Realistically, if the new head coach wants to hold off on starting Williams due to injury concerns, Horford could step into the starting lineup no problem.
Again, it just comes down to health.
Celtics fans adored Horford while he was in Boston, and it should be no different this time around. The 35-year-old center still possesses the same skillset he had when he left.
The only difference now is age. As he gets older, he will likely lose some of the quickness he once had in Boston, but his basketball IQ and shooting will remain solid.