Inside The Celtics

Al Horford Sparks Surge Sending Celtics Back to Conference Finals

Bobby Krivitsky

May 15, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) blocks the shot of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland in Game 5 at TD Garden.
May 15, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) blocks the shot of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland in Game 5 at TD Garden. / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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The Boston Celtics are headed back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight season and the sixth time in the last eight years.

At the heart of Wednesday's Game 5 win was 16-year stalwart Al Horford. The former Florida Gator shook off an 0/11 slump from beyond the arc and questions about fatigue as he shoulders a heavier workload in Kristaps Porzingis' absence.

He fought through missing four of his first five threes, reinvigorating himself and bringing a quiet TD Garden to life as he recaptured his shooting touch.

As Horford proceeded to drill one three after another, making 6/13 long-range attempts and 8/15 field goals after a slow start, he fed off the energy from a crowd he was primarily responsible for sending into a frenzy.

That included multiple rejections, a pass breakup that led to a Jayson Tatum flush, and double fist pumps as he screamed to the crowd, releasing a mixture of frustration and competitive fire.

He finished with 22 points, a game-high 15 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks, also the most in the matchup. When he subbed out for the final time, the TD Garden faithful serenaded him with "MVP" chants, and he hugged his Dad, Tito Horford, Joe Mazzulla, and each teammate he came across on his way out.

Horford's performance and resilience were a testament to his character and why he's consistently won at such a high level. 

The Celtics also got stellar performances from their other four starters on Wednesday.

Jayson Tatum delivered arguably his best game this postseason. The five-time All-Star registered a team-best 25 points, grabbed ten rebounds, dished out nine assists, tying Darius Garland and Max Strus for the most, and swiped four steals, also a game-high. 

The contest didn't call for Jaylen Brown to step up as a scorer, so he starred in the role his team needed him to fill, including distributing seven assists and doing an excellent job as a vocal leader on defense.

Derrick White stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two blocks, and his backcourtmate, Jrue Holiday, delivered 11 of his 13 points in the final frame, faring 5/5 from the field as he helped seal the win.

Now for a deep dive into what stood out as a career night unfolded for Al Horford, who joined LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players 37 or older to record a 20-point, 15-rebound, five-assist playoff game in NBA history, per Stathead.

1. Less than four minutes into Game 5, Isaac Okoro picked up his second foul. For a Cavaliers team already down Donovan Mitchell (left calf strain), Jarrett Allen (rib contusion), and Caris LeVert (left knee bone bruise), another rotation player joining them on the bench for an extended rest was a blow one couldn't help but wonder about catching up with Cleveland later in the matchup.

2. While the Celtics didn't deliver a Round 1 knockout a la prime Mike Tyson, there were impressive sequences that helped them play from in front, like a Derrick White block that led to an emphatic Jayson Tatum jam at the other end.

3. However, despite White putting ten points on the board and Al Horford breaking out of an 0/11 slump from beyond the arc, burying a three from the right wing, a 9-3 run by the visitors, including Marcus Morris drilling a triple for three of his seven points in the first period, the Cavaliers entered the second quarter tied at 28.

That was despite the hosts converting on 6/12 shots from behind the arc while limiting Cleveland to 3/10 shooting from three-point range at the other end.

4. With the Cavaliers committed to playing off Horford, it was imperative that he continued to shoot without hesitation. Sure enough, after starting 1/5 from beyond the arc, the 16-year veteran capitalized on two of his next three opportunities.

5. Horford, who also had a pair of blocks and a deflection leading to a Tatum dunk in the final five minutes of the first half, sparked a surge in which the Celtics outscored their guests 15-4 to close the second frame.

After a sequence where the former Florida Gator knocked down a three from the right corner, and Boston forced Dean Wade into a traveling violation, Horford headed down court pumping both fists and screaming in the direction of a TD Garden crowd he helped bring to life.

The Celtics outscored the Cavaliers 15-4 in the final five minutes of the second quarter to take a 58-52 edge into halftime. That run by the hosts also featured a rejection by Derrick White on a Max Strus three before a step-back triple by Tatum. 

The five-time All-Star picked up a technical afterward for his frustration with the lack of a foul call on Darius Garland as he contested his shot. But even with Cleveland getting an extra point at the free-throw line, the hosts entered halftime with a 58-52 edge thanks to a strong close to the second frame.

While this author didn't have Marcus Morris putting 14 points on the board in the first half on his bingo card, he was the only Cavalier to reach double figures in the first 24 minutes.

6. Luke Kornet struggled to combat the Darius Garland-Evan Mobley pick-and-roll in the third period, as Mobley manufactured 14 points and Cleveland generated 14 from inside the paint, which the visitors paired with 3/7 shooting from three-point range. 

However, Boston matched their 27-point output for the quarter, largely thanks to Tatum attacking the basket for ten of his 22 points in the first 36 minutes. His scoring staked the hosts to an 85-79 advantage entering the final 12 minutes.

7. After the Cavaliers cut the Celtics' lead to 88-85 with 9:32 left, Boston responded with a 13-2 counterstrike that included a pair of threes from Derrick White and Al Horford, a cross-court dime from Tatum to Jaylen Brown, leading to an uncontested layup for Horford, and Tatum stepping into a shot from behind the arc off the dribble, holding his follow through after it swished through the net. 

Brown then got his "revenge" for Tatum's harder-than-intended hit to his chest after a three by Brown helped put Game 4 away on Monday. He then hugged Tatum after returning the favor.

8. Jrue Holiday then delivered the knockout blow, burying a three from the left wing before cutting for a layup from Tatum for a 5-0 burst that extended the hosts' lead to 108-94 with 2:15 remaining.

That sent the TD Garden faithful into a frenzy, as did an Al Horford three from above the break that represented the exclamation mark on a Celtics' win that sent them back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight year and the sixth time in eight seasons.

While Horford was at the heart of Boston's 113-98 win, seizing a golden opportunity to end another series on the TD Garden parquet was also a product of the Celtics' maturation and his teammates embracing and starring in the role required of them to move one step closer to Banner 18.

Further Reading

Simple Changes Spark Stifling Second Half Defense in Celtics' Game 4 Win vs. Cavs

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown Still Shaking Off Criticism While Growing as Leaders

Jrue Holiday Delivers 'Masterclass' in Game 3 Win vs. Cavs

Jayson Tatum Breaks Out of Scoring Slump That Never Defined Him: 'Underappreciated'

Celtics Discuss 'Unacceptable Performance' in Game 2 Loss to Cavs

Derrick White Discusses Joining Elite Company in Game 1 Win vs. Cavaliers

Jaylen Brown Leads Celtics to Tone-Setting Win in Game 1 vs. Cavaliers

Kristaps Porzingis Discusses Target Date to Rejoin Celtics' Playoff Run: 'Doing Everything I Can'

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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