SAN FRANCISCO – The matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics on Thursday night carried an unusual weight, described by those involved as “weird” and “different.” At the heart of this unique dynamic were Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, both former pillars of the Celtics, now preparing to face their old teammates as members of the Warriors.
“Weird. If somebody said that while we were in Boston, that this would be the scenario, who would believe this?” Porzingis said, making his Warriors debut. “But this is how it works. It works out. Obviously, we expected Boston to have some changes with the money stuff, but yeah, it’s going to be weird, especially the first game back against Boston, too. It’s going to be cool seeing all the guys again.”
Payton Pritchard echoed that sentiment, anticipating a competitive reunion. “It will definitely be different, and I’m looking forward to it. To go out and compete against them,” he said with a smile. “I just enjoy playing people I know. Teammates and stuff like that. Especially when they go to new teams, it’s just competitiveness.”
Horford’s connection to Boston spanned two stints and seven seasons, during which he appeared in 584 regular-season and playoff games – the 25th-most in franchise history. He also ranks 25th in franchise wins with 391. Beyond statistics, Horford established himself as a foundational voice in the Celtics’ locker room, earning the respect of coaches and teammates alike.
“Unbelievable vet. Great teammate. Obviously, an unbelievable player,” Pritchard said of Horford. “I learned a lot about how he approaches his everyday, and how he’s been able to last as long as he has in the league.”
For Horford, Thursday’s game held personal significance, extending beyond the court. He expressed excitement about reconnecting with familiar faces, and his son, Ian, was also eager to see former teammates, and coaches. “It’s exciting for me. Just from the standpoint that I get to see a lot of people that I care about. We’ll compete on the court, and that goes on. But after that, I’ll be able to catch up with a lot of people,” Horford said. “It’s just very special to me. For me, it’s a lot of excitement, and my son, Ian, has been raving about seeing a lot of the guys and seeing a lot of the coaches. The whole thing. It will be cool to see everyone.”
Porzingis’s time in Boston, though shorter, also left a lasting impression. Over two seasons, the 7-foot-2 big man averaged 19.8 points on 50.2% shooting, along with 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game. His ability to stretch the floor and create mismatches proved valuable to the Celtics’ offense.
“He made the game easy with his scoring ability, his height. Obviously, he created mismatches, and we benefited from that,” Pritchard said. “Just enjoyed being his teammate. He’s a great person, and I definitely miss seeing him every day.”
Reflecting on his time with the Celtics, Porzingis described it as “special.” “I knew, going to Boston, it was going to be championship expectations, obviously. It wasn’t going to be like a walk in the park. Immediately, as soon as I signed, I felt the responsibility of like – even me and Al, we talked about it, just like being on that stage, playing for such a historic franchise, you feel that pressure. You feel those expectations. Especially how good the team was. We knew we had to get it done. Otherwise, it was going to be a fiasco. And every player strives to be in that position. We had the chance, and we did it once. The second year didn’t work out perfect, but we had our time there and enjoyed every moment of it, and we accomplished the big objective. You know how much I loved playing there. Just everything. The organization, the front office, playing at TD Garden – the floor, the colors. It’s an iconic franchise. It will always forever be in my memory as a special time.”
As of Thursday, the Celtics held a record of 35-19, securing second place in the Eastern Conference. Despite significant offseason changes – the departure of five of their top nine minute-getters – the team continued to thrive. Horford attributed this success to the strong culture established by coach Joe Mazzulla. “No, because of Joe [Mazzulla] and the culture that has been established in Boston,” he said. “Probably the most surprising part has been the growth of Neemi and Jordan Walsh. They have really taken huge steps in their development, in how they are playing, and in how they are impacting winning. We see kind of expected, but I just think that Brad and Joe have done such a good job over there, and it’s something that’s consistent. So I am not surprised.”
