BOSTON – Kyrie Irving was on the bench in street clothes, still on the mend from left knee surgery. Gordon Hayward was in the building as well.
And like Irving, he too has been a spectator for the Boston Celtics’ playoff run.
But on the floor was Al Horford doing what Al Horford consistently does for the teams he plays for – find a way to win.
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There’s no hardware doled out for leading a team out of the first round of the playoffs, but there’s no doubt Horford was the MVP of Boston’s first-round series with the Milwaukee Bucks that ended with a 112-96 Game 7 win for Boston.
And while the list of contributors to the win is lengthy, there was no question Horford’s play more than anyone else, was what put Boston over the top.
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The 6-foot-10 Horford tallied a near double-double with 26 points on 13-for-17 shooting to go with eight rebounds, three assists, and a blocked shot.
For the series, Horford averaged 18.1 points per game while shooting 58.8 percent from the field, 43.8 percent from 3-point range while grabbing 8.7 rebounds to go with 3.3 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game.
“He was really, really big for us,” said Celtics head coach Brad Stevens. “He’s been a stabilizing force since he walked in our locker room. He provides stability for all of us. Whenever you lost other guys to injury, people are unavailable, when things aren’t going your way, he’s likely been through it. He provides a very calming influence to younger players.”
Horford’s consistent, even-keeled demeanor has helped him not only avoid the emotional trappings that come with a long 82-game season, but it has also rubbed off on the Celtics’ younger players who never seem in awe of big moments whether it be a regular season tilt against an elite team or Game 7 of a playoff series.
“I couldn’t ask for a better leader, a better vet to have on my team,” said Boston’s Semi Ojeleye, a second-round pick in last June’s NBA draft whose defense on Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 7 was a key to Boston’s win. “His calm in the heat of battle … he’s been through it. You can see it on his face, ‘I’ve been here, I know what to do.’ Having him out there, on the team, his presence, it’s invaluable every day.”
Horford has always been comfortable in the role of team leader, aware that how he carries himself will be mirrored more likely than not, by his younger teammates.
“It’s what we’ve been doing as a group,” Horford said. “You know, we didn’t want to treat this any differently. You know we went out there very focused on the defensive end. I felt like our guys, their poise was great.”
It was.
But Horford’s play, poise, and overall production proved to be too much for the Bucks to handle.
“Al played well throughout the entire series,” said Bucks interim head coach Joe Prunty. “Caused a lot of problems whether it was driving to the basket, mid-range shots, post moves, getting to his jump hooks or getting to his spots on the floor. At the top of the key just driving it, not just tonight, just knowing how to play. He deserves credit for the way he played but just the knowledge of playing and understanding what playing playoff games, playoff series are like and how you have to battle.”
