![](\"https:\/\/image-cdn.essentiallysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jaylen-Brown-Al-Horford.jpg?width=600\")
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The Celtics almost let another 20-point lead slip away, but this time, they didn\u2019t fold. After blowing a big lead to the Cavaliers on Friday, Boston made sure history didn\u2019t repeat itself, grinding out a 110-103 win over the Nuggets on Sunday afternoon. Jaylen Brown set the tone, dropping 22 points while dishing out eight assists and pulling down five boards. Al Horford came through in the clutch, not just with his 19 points and eight rebounds, but with three huge steals that kept Denver from flipping the script.<\/p>\n
Horford sealed the Celtics\u2019 110-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday with a transition bucket, capping off a strong all-around performance. While his contribution was crucial, teammate Brown couldn\u2019t help but joke about how Horford finished the play.<\/p>\n
After the game a reporter asked the 4x All-Star if he could tell before or during the game when Al Horford was locked in and poised for a strong performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, you know, you can\u2019t always tell,\u201d<\/em> Brown admitted. \u201cBut when, when he\u2019s there, you know, when you, you know, when it\u2019s there, you know.\u201d. <\/em>Horford played a key role in defending Nikola Jokic and battling on the boards, something Brown and the team took notice of.<\/p>\n \u201cSo tonight, you know, big-time matchup, uh, on Jokic, for a large part of the game, you know, fighting him, battling him on the boards, we want to reward him for his work,\u201d<\/em> Brown said.<\/p>\n The Finals MVP made it a point to find Horford offensively, leading to his late transition bucket.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, just, I was looking for Al early, was able to connect to him a few times and had that, that final one in transition where he gets to tip on a, uh, gets hand, gets a deflection, sprints in transition. I see him running, throw it back to the big fella.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Then, Brown jokingly called out Horford for not throwing down a dunk.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s supposed to dunk that, but you know, he got five kids, so we let him slide.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>This comes in after Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics\u2019 head coach praised Horford\u2019s focus, his ability to lock in when needed and get them across the line.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t have to talk to him,\u201d<\/em> Mazzulla said when asked if he had to tell Horford to take on a bigger role.<\/p>\n Horford logged 35 minutes\u2014just the third time all season\u2014and once again proved his value as a defensive anchor. Mazzulla emphasized how Horford\u2019s intelligence, size, and positioning allow the Celtics to handle elite scorers without over-committing help.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s one of the best players in the league at guarding other best players in the league, no matter the position that they have,\u201d<\/em> Mazzulla said. \u201cMost of what he does can\u2019t be measured, but he has the innate ability to impact the game in so many different ways.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Beyond his defensive presence, Mazzulla highlighted Horford\u2019s leadership and intensity.<\/p>\n \u201cHe helps us in our own locker room because of his competitiveness,\u201d<\/em> Mazzulla said. \u201cI think some people mistake his kindness for a weakness at times, but he\u2019s one of the most competitive people I know.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Horford\u2019s ability to guard multiple positions, communicate in pick-and-roll situations, and maintain a strong presence in the paint makes him invaluable as Boston continues its championship push.<\/p>\n He couldn\u2019t do it alone though, Brown\u2019s leadership was required.<\/p>\n After Friday\u2019s brutal collapse against Cleveland\u2014where they blew a 22-point lead\u2014Boston had no time to sulk. Jokic and the Nuggets were in town, and the Celtics needed a response.<\/p>\n Jaylen Brown, who takes pride in his leadership, made sure the team came out with the right mindset. \u201cWe just had to come out and try to get off to a good start in the first quarter, and kind of set the tone on defense,\u201d<\/em> Brown said. \u201cI just talk us through it. \u2018If we miss shots, don\u2019t hang your head next possession. Play with urgency.’\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n That urgency was missing against the Cavs. Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 83 points\u2014more than they ever have together\u2014but Boston\u2019s bench managed just six. This time, the second unit stepped up, adding 28 points while Brown and Tatum dished out 15 assists.<\/p>\n Brown didn\u2019t sugarcoat the struggles, but stressed his role in keeping the team focused. \u201cJust being vocal throughout the season,\u201d<\/em> he said. \u201cGuys are in and out the lineup or whatever the case may be. Whoever we got, we just have to do our job, be ready to go, and be together. I think that\u2019s half the battle.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Boston now gears up for a home matchup with Portland on Wednesday before facing Philadelphia and the Lakers. If Sunday proved anything, it\u2019s that when the Celtics lock in, they\u2019re tough to beat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After the Celtics win over Denver, Jaylen Brown makes his feelings clear about Al Horford’s play as Joe Mazzulla clears the air around him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":39136,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\nJaylen Brown takes charge, leads the Celtics to victory<\/h2>\n