Celtics’ Al Horford Taking On New Role, Out Of Starting Lineup

The Boston Celtics have a new starting lineup, and it won’t include a long-time staple.

Al Horford revealed Wednesday that he would be coming off the bench in Boston’s season-opening matchup against the New York Knicks, per to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. If he does take the floor at Madison Square Garden, it will be just the 13th appearance off the bench in Horford’s career.

The Celtics’ new starting lineup is now firmly in place, with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White returning to the unit that will add Kristaps Porzingis at center and Jrue Holiday at point guard. Porzingis will take over Horford’s role as the top big man from last season, where the veteran started all 63 games he played in. Holiday will take over for the departing Marcus Smart.

“That’s the ultimate sacrifice,” Tatum said Wednesday, per Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald. “Everybody knows how much I love and respect Al. A lot of guys say that they’ll do anything to help the team win, but Al is the epitome of that.”

Horford has never come off the bench for the Celtics, starting in all 429 of his appearances in a Celtics uniform.

The expectation is that the 38-year-old will start some games. Porzingis hasn’t played more than 65 games in a season since 2015-16, while matchups could dictate a double-big lineup that could push Derrick White to the bench. Horford will be joined by Payton Pritchard and a rotating cast of forwards on the Celtics’ second unit.

Horford anticipated the change, telling reporters that he was willing to do whatever it took for Boston to win.