Veteran Boston Celtics big man Al Horford, who has typically started in most of the games of his NBA career, played off the bench for the first time during the Celtics’ second preseason game against the New York Knicks last week.
This change in his role may become more common following offseason trades bringing back Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, both of whom have at least as good a claim on being starters in terms of what the team needs. Horford is open to this sacrifice, focusing on how he can contribute to the team’s success. “We’re all looking at the same thing, trying to accomplish the same thing,” said Horford via Boston Dot Com’s Connor Roche. “In that particular game, we were trying to win the game. That’s the focus.”
“For me, it’s seeing how I can impact winning. That’s always my focus.”
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Horford ended up playing 23 minutes off the bench, scoring 8 points and making a positive impact. He believes that the team’s depth and versatility will require different lineup configurations throughout the season.
The Celtics aim to be flexible with their starting lineups, and Horford is willing to adapt to whatever is necessary to win an NBA title.
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