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BOSTON – Even at 16 years oldth Heading into the NBA season, Al Horford is still finding ways to set career highs.
On Friday night, the veteran center had his best 3-point shooting game ever in a regular season matchup, knocking down 6-of-8 from deep in a season-best 21-point effort to help push Boston. The Celtics beat the Denver Nuggets 131-112 at TD Garden.
Horford, who went 3-for-3 from deep in a 12-point fourth quarter, credited his teammates for getting him open looks, especially with how Denver carried Boston’s star wing duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
“After all, it was just the way [the Nuggets] was playing,” Horford said. “They put a lot of pressure on Jason and some of our guys and I got some open looks. The boys did a good job of finding me and they were so cute – I just had to pick them up.
According to Brown, it was all part of the game plan to get Horford those looks.
“Tonight, we knew he was going to have some openings the way they covered us,” said Brown, who came close to a triple-double with 25 points, eight rebounds and a season-high eight assists. “We tried to get him the ball and he passed.”
Horford has delivered from this stance all season, shooting a career-high 47.8 percent from downtown. In ten games, he made 22-of-46 shots, the second-most efficient mark among players in the Eastern Conference. His teammate Sam Houser is tied for first at a 49.0 percent clip.
This is the first time in his career that Horford is attempting more 3-point shots (4.6 per game) than 2-point shots (3.1 per game). His 3-point rate of 58.5 percent was nearly 12 percent higher than his previous personal-high set last season.
For a guy who didn’t start shooting consecutive threes until his ninth season, that’s quite a transition.
“It’s a big adjustment,” Horford said of shifting his offensive game mostly beyond the arc. “This summer, that was something we looked at and I realized I needed to work on it more, be more comfortable, and we really worked on it. Mentally, I’m getting into that mindset of realizing I’m shooting more 3s. And so it is. The game is changing and for me it’s trying to find a way I can change.
What has not changed is his overall impact as a leader who is always willing to make sacrifices for the betterment of the team.
Jayson Tatum told Celtics.com postgame, “Horford is definitely one of the best teammates I’ve ever had at any level,” and he’s been Tatum’s ultimate role model since his rookie season six years ago.
“He’s extremely unselfish,” Tatum explained, “always wants what’s best for the team, and now six years later, he’s still the same guy and shows every day how he takes care of his body to be a starter for us at 36 years old this season and last season.
“You don’t say you play 16 years in this league and he’s still at the top of his game.”
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