Horford gets first 20-10 game in Celtic green


Fans might have thought otherwise but oddly enough that title is correct, last night was Al Horford’s first game with 20 points and 10 rebounds as a Boston Celtic.

This is not a knock in any way against Big Al as his play, especially of late, has spoken for itself. But what this does do is speak to how much his style of play has changed since he got here.

Spending his formative years in Atlanta playing mostly as a low-post big for the Hawks, Horford eventually was putting up 17.4 points and 10.2 boards by the time he hit his prime. This was only five years ago in 2012-2013 too. It's rather obvious to say at this point the second-year Celtic is a little bit different of a player from even then.



Averaging 13.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on the season, #42 is doing his best Draymond Green impression for Brad Stevens' team as a jack-knife of sorts. Putting up a block (1.0) a game as well this season, he has been phenomenal on the defensive end too. What's funniest about all these numbers is for what seems like the first time in Boston, the stat-book is even backing up the University of Florida product's play.

Part of knowing how well he's performing and the multiple times he's even scored 20+ points/pulled down 10+ boards is what makes this all the more confusing. All factors considered, Horford's 103rd game in Celtic green being his first 20-10 one is pretty staggering.



At the end of the day, "20-10" is just a total for NBA fans and stat-lovers alike to get fascinated with to try to identify with dominant big men but the stat-book doesn't tell for everything. As we know with Big Al, he tends to be one of the better case studies in that thought process especially in the league today where there aren't that many 20-10 players anyway.

Although I don't expect this to become a nightly occurrence, I don't think it's unrealistic to see Horford do this again. Being asked to do a lot more on a team that's currently struggling on the glass being out-rebounded their last five games, if the Celtics' Unsung hero so far of 2017-18 can keep hitting the money-ball as well (.432 so far this year from deep) ... this wont be his last 20-10 night before the end of April.

Do your thing Big Al!!!





Follow Brendan on Twitter for more Celtics/NBA info at @brendan_ronan_





Photo via Brian Babineau, Getty Images