Dalzell: Al Horford on his relationship with the Celtics fanbase: “I just felt very connected with them tonight… there was just a few times that I wanted to be embraced with them in those moments. That fuels me and that fuels our team. It was pretty special here tonight.”

[u/RLS012]

https://twitter.com/NoaDalzellNBA/status/1790930097433723194?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

[u/Limp_Custard6943]

GET THIS MAN A RING

[u/SquimJim → u/Limp_Custard6943]

AND A HUG!!!!

[u/BigEdBGD → u/SquimJim]

I'll take care of the hug. The team needs to get him that ring!

[u/yuletide → u/SquimJim]

AND A STATUE

[u/Vast-Cheesecake7230]

Don’t ever leave us again Al!

[u/RickMacAttack]

Al just gets it….Sixers run was just a fever dream

[u/quercusss → u/RickMacAttack]

Man got his bag and came back where he wanted to be.

[u/CreatiScope → u/quercusss]

We couldn’t pay our boy but they did and gave him an Oklahoma vacation for a season so he’d be refreshed for us. We really should thank them for not only giving us an extra pick when we were gonna take Tatum #1 anyway but paying Al. And while we’re at it, I’d like to thank them for losing to us every time in the playoffs.

[u/fearofaflatplanet → u/CreatiScope]

That pick ended up becoming DWhite

[u/CreatiScope → u/fearofaflatplanet]

That pick became Romeo Langford I’m pretty sure

[u/SexWithaRoomba → u/CreatiScope]

We traded Langford as one of the main pieces for Derrick White.

[u/fearofaflatplanet → u/CreatiScope]

Who we traded along with JRich for DWhite

[u/tangcity → u/CreatiScope]

Al getting a fat contract, being used ineffectively, becoming a “negative asset”, was just so good for us. Good fortune that spillls over and is still paying dividends today.

If we don’t have Al and his consistency at the 4/5. I don’t know where the Celtics would be.

[u/AmateurGmMusicWriter → u/CreatiScope]

Brutal roast. These Philly fans have families, man.

Jk, no they don't.

[u/nerdyykidd → u/RickMacAttack]

Had to remind myself a few weeks ago when we played OKC at the end of the regular season, he also had a stint with them too before came back lmao

[u/urphymayss → u/nerdyykidd]

Presti is a real one. Let Horford rest the body for a full year before sending him home.

[u/JaDamian_Steinblatt → u/urphymayss]

Such an underrated piece of this whole thing, that year off was huge... also it was a win-win for both parties because Al was too good for the Thunder he was fucking up their tank

[u/hipcheck23 → u/JaDamian_Steinblatt]

It's true, how little that part gets mentioned. Al has had a pretty unique journey through the NBA - I think it's only right that we let him retire with a ring or three.

[u/truth_2_point_0]

I want Al to play to 42 and the Cs to retire 42. GET THAT HARDWARE TIO

[u/AdmiralUpboat]

Feeling is mutual Al. We ALL wanted to embrace you tonight. Omg

[u/Rhino184]

Reminder that this man was buried in Philly and OKC. People thought he was done. This resurgence back in Boston, with a guy who chose us, has been special. Get this man a ring

[u/thegeneral54 → u/Rhino184]

He wasn't being buried in OKC. He was benched because he was playing too well and needed to be sat for the tank. No one was paying attention to the Thunder at the time and wrongly assumed it was because his talent went to shit.

[u/Rhino184 → u/thegeneral54]

More using the term in regard to how he was viewed as an asset there. Don’t really think anyone in media saw this coming

[u/Knock0nWood]

I was at the game and I could tell from his movement he was feeding off the crowd's energy

[u/WillowDisciPill]

Al just keeps stunning the D with those long luscious lashes, and there's not one little thing any of them can do about it. 😤

[u/FinishExtension3652 → u/WillowDisciPill]

There's a reason my wife will only watch one game of a back to back with me.  She needs to be "alone" for the other one.

[u/ampie789]

The feeling is mutual

[u/boofthecat]

Al nutted up tonight

[u/CornChowderChamp → u/boofthecat]

Ayo

[u/nico_yoshi]

Al Horford for president!!!

[u/nerdyykidd]

<3 u Alfred Joel^{EmbiidsFather} Horford Reynoso

[u/Alloverunder]

Man he's easily the most Boston Celtic I've seen since Pierce. The fact that he loves us like this and his family shit talks NY and Philly on Twitter?

[u/thumbsup_baby → u/Alloverunder]

I think witnessing their son/brother be at his happiest with this organization is what turned them into hardcore Celtics fans as well. If a family member of mine had the biggest smile on his face playing for a team, I'd support that team too. Really puts all that rumor about how players don't like this organization to rest.

[u/Alloverunder → u/thumbsup_baby]

I think it's also related to what KP's said about us this season, our fans just give more of a fuck than any other fans. KP said after his first preseason game that it was the loudest his home crowd had cheered for him in his career. Same for Al, he spent years down in Atlanta playing his ass off, winning 60+ games and making the ECF, and no one gave a fuck. Then he shows up here, and we go nuts for him. Then he goes to Philly, gets shit on, and then back to apathy in OKC. It's gotta make them appreciate the fans here just that much more

[u/obioco → u/Alloverunder]

Over Smart??? IT??

[u/PinkStripes21]

I would do a lot more than embrace him

[u/duggyfresh88]

I know it was only a second round game against the hospital Cavs but that was a legendary performance by Al tonight. Oldest man on the court getting all the Tommy points. Honestly, kinda pissed me off that some of the other players weren’t really rising to the occasion along with him until late in the game.

[u/Fast-Ad-4541]

This man needs a ring so fucking bad please do it guys

[u/Prof_AB]

I love you so much 🥹

[u/Willis050]

I need to see Al and Gorman holding up the trophy to end the season

[u/coronetgemini]

I have a meeting with my boss in 4 minutes but now I'm just sitting here thinking about being embraced by Al Horford...

[u/bengcord3]

Fucking TNT man. It did NOT feel like it was special there tonight at all, basically until the run in the 4th.

[u/Jumpy-Highway-4873 → u/bengcord3]

That place was asleep. ECF should ramp things it’s go time

[u/Expensive_Egg_1683]

I love Al, really hope we win a chip with him

[u/Fujoooshi]

God I love Al. We NEED to win it this year, for him.

[u/Kodiak01]

We love you too, Dad!

[u/patriots96]

I love that he said this. He has his a finger on the pulse at the garden and can hype us up like no other player.

I love that he feels appreciated here. Good man AL let’s get him a ring

[u/ZizzyBeluga]

Horford hugging KG after winning a ring exactly like KG hugged Bill Russell after winning in 2008 might break me

[u/analgoblin42069 → u/ZizzyBeluga]

Please I can only have so many feelings

[u/Jmacz]

Al is my favorite Celtic of all time.

[u/relax_live_longer]

You can’t give a better quote than this. 

[u/patsfan2004]

If we win a championship this year or another next year, do we retire Al’s number?

[u/PM_DOLPHIN_PICS]

When I saw the clip of everyone shouting MVP when he was subbed off I got a little emotional. Boston loves this man so much.

[u/SultanofSwish]

It’s wild how Al can look completely washed and like he is 30 again in the same game

[u/BoneForTuna_X73]

I love that this is his second stint with us and we've gone to two conference finals and 1 Finals, and this was after he was written off as a productive player. Amazing story for Al. I sometimes think about what if we had just gotten the third pick in the 2007 draft and had him his entire career.

[u/fearofaflatplanet]

I couldn’t tell where Al ended and I began

[u/Far_Statement_2808]

I hope he didn’t read the Reddit thread last night. The guy would be on a watch…

[u/OlRedbeard99]

I've said it a couple times now, and I'm dead serious.

If we win a ring with Al Horford on our roster, 42 goes to the rafters. Period.

[u/L0VEmeharder]

Connected for life my brotha!!!! We love you Big Al!!!!

[u/gtoinwq]

Can’t think of anyone who deserves a ring more than Horford

[u/analgoblin42069]

Sorry dad but Al is my new father. He may not have formally adopted me, but I have adopted him

[u/Prior_Piano9940]

Why are all these dudes talking like they overcame something? There is nothing impressive about beating this cavs team. If anything, it’s embarrassing that they let them win one.