Former Gators Forward Al Horford Shines in NBA Finals Debut
Former Florida Gators forward Al Horford made the most of his minutes in crunch time in his first NBA Finals appearance on Thursday evening.
Boston's starting power forward played a crucial part in the Celtics' comeback efforts to take down the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, on the road in Game 1 of the NBA's 2022 championship.
Horford led Boston in scoring with 26 points in 33 minutes, also leading the Celtics in three-point shooting (6-of-8) with four threes coming in the second half and two falling as Boston rallied from a 15-point deficit from the end of the third quarter into the fourth.
Following a game-tying three from Derrick White at the 5:40 mark in the fourth quarter, Horford sunk his fifth shot from behind the arc to give the Celtics their first lead since halftime.
He stole the ball from Warriors forward Draymond Green on the ensuing possession and knocked down another deep shot to extend the lead to six points, kick-starting a 14-point Boston run that put Golden State away.
Horford, a two-time national champion at Florida from 2004-07, also posted six rebounds and three assists throughout his Finals debut. His five defensive rebounds were tied for a team-high with forward Jayson Tatum and guards Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard.
Game 2 of the NBA Finals tips off on Sunday at 8 P.M. ET in San Francisco, Calif.
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