It’s been an awkward year for the Golden State Warriors, and Al Horford’s departure from the Boston Celtics is looking more brutal by the day. He left the Celtics this summer in hopes of competing for a title out in San Francisco, yet through the first chunk of the season, Boston has a better record than the Warriors do.
Neemias Queta has stepped into the Celtics’ starting center spot beautifully, and they’ve found meaningful contributions from unlikely sources up and down the roster. Had Horford decided to remain in Boston, there’s a real chance that they would be even better off than they already are.
They would have an even better chance at making the Finals, especially in a weak Eastern Conference.
Al Horford might be regretting leaving Celtics for Warriors
Horford’s Warriors haven’t been what many people expected them to be. Sure, injuries have plagued their season, but with a squad as old as they are, that’s to be expected, to some degree.
The real problem is that Golden State hasn’t found enough consistency from the rest of its team to make up for guys like Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler missing time.
They’ve found gems like Pat Spencer, but overall, they’ve struggled to keep up with the Joneses in the Western Conference. They are currently 13-12, including a 4-6 record in their last 10 games.
As for the Celtics, this season has gone better than most people expected it to. Jaylen Brown looks destined for an All-NBA First Team nod, Queta has emerged as a legitimate starting center, and Jordan Walsh is slowly carving out a case to make an All-Defensive team.
Obviously, Queta’s improvements have made the loss of Horford sting less, but if they had both big men, it could have been an even more perfect situation.
Plus, based on all of the videos circulating, it looks as though Jayson Tatum could return from his Achilles rupture quicker than most thought he would, which would elevate Boston’s chances even more.
Combine all of those facts with how dominant the Oklahoma City Thunder have been this season, and Horford’s choice to leave the Celtics for the Warriors (and the West) looks worse and worse.
He’s struggled to stay on the court this year, too, but still, being in Boston right now would not only have him in a better position to win but also would have solidified his place in Celtics history.
Now, it’s looking like the Celtics could have a better season than the Warriors, which definitely isn’t what Horford thought would happen.