The Joy of a
Twilight Chip

This week the Boston Celtics lifted the Championship Trophy for the 18th time - the most in NBA history. For their young but experienced team, the road to success has been a grind. It's been a long-haul flight with turbulence. Although the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have enjoyed All-Star, All NBA and even Team USA selections, it has been the Larry O'Brien, the ultimate basketball prize, that has painfully slipped their seemingly certain grasp for the past few seasons.

This journey, then, meant that their 4-1 series victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals was sweet, and a fitting reward for their persistence and hard work. For the young stars mentioned, it perhaps opens the door to a potential dynasty and future titles raining down on Beantown. For one vet in particular, though, the sweetness of this achievement will perhaps close out a journey that has lasted 17 years.

After being selected 3rd overall by the Hawks in the 2007 NBA Draft, Al Horford would play the majority of his lengthy career in the ATL, quickly establishing himself as one of the league's elite big men. Following his 9-year tenure with the Hawks, Horford would find himself in Boston, then over to Philly, a brief stint in OKC and finally back to Boston in 2021. His career has been defined by facing setbacks and bouncing back to form. His persistence almost being the individual embodiment of what the Boston Celtics have endured in recent years.

I love to see hard-working vets picking up a title at the end of their careers. This isn't unusual, of course. The likes of Gary Payton, Mitch Richmond and Juwan Howard have all grabbed their first title in their last seasons. What I love about Al Horford, though, is that he has continued to play a key role (only coming off the bench since the arrival of Porzingis back in 2023, and returning as a starter while Porzingis was injured). Far from a benchwarmer who happened to have a place on a bus travelling to title town, Al Horford is key.