‘We just can’t keep taking him for granted’: Jayson Tatum praises Al Horford in win over Pacers
Horford stepped up once Kristaps Porzingis got injured, and notched a season-high eight assists.
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Kristaps Porzingis went down early on Saturday night, but Al Horford had no trouble filling in for him in the Celtics’ 118-101 win over the Indiana Pacers.
The 37-year-old big man made his impact everywhere, filling the stat sheet. He notched 10 points, six rebounds, three blocks, two steals, and a season-high eight assists in 30 minutes.
Horford is primarily coming off the bench this season due to Boston’s loaded lineup, but that hasn’t stopped him from performing at a high level while on the floor.
After the game, Jayson Tatum heaped praise onto Horford for both his performance and his impact on the Celtics as a whole.
“We just can’t keep taking him for granted,” Tatum said of Horford. “Best teammate I ever had, ultimate professional, and somebody that we can count on, night in and night out. He proved that again tonight.”
Horford and Jaylen Brown connected for the play of the game late in the fourth quarter. Horford jumped high into the air and snagged a steal defensively, ran the floor, and then dished a perfect alley-oop to Brown on the other end for the dunk.
“The high hand steal for the transition, the offensive rebounds that he’s getting, he’s just a guy that you can always rely on,” Mazzulla said. “He leads by example. His positivity is contagious, and his poise is contagious … he’s the best.”
Horford has spent six of his 17 NBA seasons in Boston. Prior to this season, he started in every game that he played in for Boston as the team’s top center. He’s taken a backseat to Porzingis so far this year, and he embraced that role, which has garnered him even more praise from his teammates and coaches alike.
With Porzingis’s status up in the air heading into Monday’s rematch with the Pacers, Horford may slot back into the starting lineup temporarily.
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