Al Horford is in his 17th NBA season and recently switched to a bench role for the first time in his career. It’s not that Horford isn’t capable of anchoring the middle for the Boston Celtics, but rather that Kristaps Porzingis provides more balance for the starting lineup. Horford’s role change hasn’t deterred him, though.
Instead, the veteran big man is looking to make his presence felt whenever he checks into the game. Horford wants to be an impactful player who helps his team compete at the highest level; that’s what’s important to him at such a late point in his career.
“I’ve always wanted to do whatever I could to help the team win,” Horford told Khari Thompson of Boston.com. “And right now, this is where our group is at. For me at this moment, it’s to come in and bring a spark, bring energy off the bench, raise our level of play every time that I come in and have an impact defensively. My role is different now, and that’s something that I’m still adjusting to, but I’m still trying to make sure that I put my imprint and in every game that I play.”
Horford has had some inconsistent performances over Boston’s opening 15 games.
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However, he has shown up in the big moments, providing a much-needed impact against the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. That’s what Horford is there for: to impact winning at the highest level against the best teams in the NBA. It’s what he’s done for the entirety of his two tenures in Boston.
As the season wears on, Horford’s bench contributions will only grow in stature and importance. There’s a reason why Brad Stevens signed the veteran to a two-year contract extension in 2022. Now, Horford is ready to remind everyone of what the reason was.
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