The Boston Celtics took a haymaker from the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter of Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals and another big run in the game’s penultimate frame, only to see first-time finals participant and 15-season veteran Al Horford light the Dubs up in the fourth to steal the win and home-court advantage with a 26-point, 6-of-8 performance.
The University of Florida product has been a key part of what got the Celtics to the finals in the first place, providing critical play for Boston time and time again this postseason, surprising many save his teammates. After the win, Celtics point guard Marcus Smart was asked his thoughts on how it felt to watch Horford play at such a high level in his first-ever game this deep in the postseason.
“We were ecstatic for him,” suggested the Flower Mound native.
NBA, Celtics Twitter react to Boston’s 120-108 Game 1 Finals win over the Golden State Warriors https://t.co/fZ8oGMUfYA
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) June 3, 2022
“Al is the OG, man, he puts in the work,” offered Smart. “Nobody deserves to be here more than him.”
“The way that he carries himself professionally, the professionalism he comes to this game with every day, we knew it was only a matter of time for him to have a big game, and continue to have a big game. That’s what he does; that’s what he’s been doing.”
“He’s been that catalyst for us this whole year,” he added.
Celtics highlights: Boston wins Game 1 of 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors 120-108 https://t.co/SCyYaQVQXH
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) June 3, 2022
Teammate Jaylen Brown had a similar appraisal of Horford in the finals, whose play he called “phenomenal.”
“That’s what we need,” he said. “That’s what we want; we want that veteran leadership to carry us over.”
With the hire, a majority-Black league has 15 of 30 Black coaches for the first time. https://t.co/dwErdargC1
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) June 3, 2022
“Al had a bunch of great looks,” suggested Brown. “We encouraged him to keep taking them.”
“He came out in his first Finals game and played amazing. He carried us and led us to a victory. We’ve got to get ready for the next game, we win as a team. I know the media likes to push the narrative between certain players, but it’s a team game. The best team is going to win, not the best individual player.”
“We’ve just got to keep playing as a team and we’ll be all right,” added the Georgia native.
Maxwell knows how tough it is to turn a team around and then contend for a title. https://t.co/OXggi5H4Ka
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) June 3, 2022
With a 1-0 series lead and Horford playing how he has been these playoffs, it’s hard to argue with Brown’s assessment of the series so far. But it will take at least this level of play from the veteran big man and a similar if not greater level of play on both ends to secure the series.
Invaluable veteran experience and a seeming fountain of youth have helped Horford contribute to some of the best Celtics play in a decade.
But, the Warriors have plenty of savvy of their own, and while the elder statesmen of the finals by default, they also have more than a few lethal runs of their own left in them.
Some of the best plays of Game 1 of the finals captured in images. https://t.co/MJTX2tBG66
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) June 3, 2022
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