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3 Underrated keys to the Boston Celtics beating the 76ers

By Ben Grunert

The Boston Celtics could be in the market for a number two option to pair with Tatum -- but is it possible for the C's to land Joel Embiid? (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics could be in the market for a number two option to pair with Tatum -- but is it possible for the C's to land Joel Embiid? (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics
Al Horford’s shot has evolved over the years, and its evolution has been a critical component of success for the Boston Celtics (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

The impact of Al Horford

Al Horford finished the 2022-23 regular season with the second-best 3-point percentage in basketball, shooting 44.6% on 5.2 attempts per game. The 36-year-old big man stretches the floor as well as any center in the league.

Big Al played in three of Boston’s four games versus Philly this season, averaging 10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds. He cooked his former team with his outside shooting, knocking down 43.5% of his threes on 7.7 attempts per game.

Horford will give the Celtics their best chance at victory by keeping his 3-point volume as high as he did versus Philly in the regular season. Through a healthy diet of pick-and-pop action and aggressive perimeter positioning, Horford could make an enormous impact on this series.

The Dominican veteran is as clutch as they come in the postseason, and he loves playing the Sixers.

In his last 10 games against Philly (dating back to the 2018-19 season), Horford has shot 40.8% from distance and a perfect 100% from the free throw line. Big Al is set to face a former team of his for the second consecutive series after a lackluster showing against the Hawks.

In the first round, Horford played with minimal aggression as he attempted just 5.3 field goals per game. If he regains his aggression as a shooter, the 76ers’ struggles to contain Boston on the perimeter will only grow.

Famously known by Celtics fans as the “Embiid Stopper,” Horford has done an excellent job defending Embiid throughout his career. Embiid shoots 47.2% from the field and 22.6% from three in 14 career matchups with Horford while committing 3.4 turnovers per game.

However, this year’s MVP version of Embiid dropped crazy scoring numbers against the Celtics, including a 41-point outburst and his iconic 52-piece.

As Horford has gotten older, his individual defense on Embiid has slowly regressed. Then again, Big Al hasn’t gotten a piece of Embiid in the playoffs since 2018. In that series, Embiid shot 44.1% from the field and 23.8% from three as the Cs prevailed 4-1.

Whether Horford can turn back the clock on defense or not, the Boston big man has the ability to expose the lone weakness in Embiid’s defensive game: his perimeter coverage.

Playoff Al usually shows up in a big way when fans least expect it. Don’t be surprised if he shows up against the Sixers.

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