Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
It’s never wise to bet against Vegas and chances are, if healthy, Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Jayson Tatum will all put up bigger stats than Horford. Heck, considering the maturation of Jaylen Brown, it’s not impossible that Horford, the team’s second-highest paid player after Hayward, ends up putting the least impressive line of the team’s projected starting five. Here’s the thing: if this ended up happening, Horford would probably be the happiest of anybody. He is the epitome of the “team first” player and if those around him are putting up big numbers that means that he’s doing his job.
Horford would never admit it, but the Boston Celtics are as much his team as anybody else’s on the roster. It was the Horford signing that marked Boston’s transformation from Isaiah Thomas’s scrappy overachievers into a legitimate contender. There’s no doubt that his presence on the roster helped convince Hayward to sign with Boston last season. Horford helped keep the team afloat when they lost Hayward for the season in their very first game and Irving, in the midst of an MVP caliber season, later on in March. It was under Horford’s guidance that this otherwise young Celtics team played through playoff inexperience and eventually ended up a win away from the NBA Finals.
Forbes — How Al Horford became the Celtics’ rock
As the NBA summer inches along, one instagram workout video at a time, we’ve all spent time watching Jayson Tatum’s Drew Hanlen workouts, Terry Rozier hooping with John Wall, Jaylen Brown dunking on fools in pick-up games,* Kyrie Irving chumming it up with Bill Russell and Gordon Hayward working his way back from injury. We’ve even gotten excited about Brad Wannamaker’s overseas tape, Jabari Bird’s Summer League performance and Yabu’s… well, we’re all just generally excited about Yabu. All the while, Al Horford remains just where he likes to remain — in the background (unless a debate starts about whether or not he should even start all the time).
The hype surrounding this team is at a 2008 level and the only real concerns center on egos and chemistry and crunch-time lineups. The Celtics have the right coach to manage those potential issues if they arise, but they also have the perfect star player to lead by example in regards to all of it.
If Al Horford’s first year was about proving to the league that the Celtics were a destination, and his second year was about keeping the team afloat amidst a slew on injuries, his third year will be spent as the heartbeat and barometer of this team. Never beating too fast, or getting too high or too low. Mentoring youngsters like Bob Williams and reminding other guys of the task at hand. With Hayward and Irving as bigger brand names and Tatum and Jaylen emerging as the next generation of all-star talent, it’ll be easy to forget just how essential Al is to the success of the team.
I can’t remember who just recently stated that Gordon Hayward is the team’s best all-around player — not Kyrie Irving. There’s still an argument to be made that that guy is actually Horford. When you factor in what he means to the chemistry and well-being of the team, he just might be.
*quick aside — can we stop salivating over these workouts and informal runs and making proclamations like “given the way Tatum looks in workout videos, I’m pretty sure he’ll be an MVP candidate this season.” You know who else is working out like Tatum is? Pretty much every other guy in the league. You just don’t follow them on instagram because they aren’t Celtics, or maybe the workouts and pick-up game footage don’t get posted to social media, or maybe they’re like Al Horford working out in the shadows. It’s fun to see Tatum hit 18 3s in a row, or watch Terry score over Wall, but I recently heard a local podcaster make a connection between how good this team will be and what he’s seen through video this summer. Let’s withhold judgement until the games begin. (sorry, I’m a curmudgeon). *
The rest of the links:
NBCSports Boston — Should the Celtics have tried harder to acquire Kyrie Irving? | What’s Gordon Hayward face in return to court? Here’s two who know.
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