NBA Notebook: Al Horford's Second NBA Finals Trip Makes Him a Dominican Inspiration

BOSTON -- Tito Horford stood in the hallway near the Celtics' locker room fielding calls and reading text messages that filled his phone throughout the night. He had sat next to Boston's bench in clear view of television cameras, hard to miss at seven feet when he stood up to celebrate each basket Al Horford made during his breakout performance this postseason. Horford scored 22 points with 15 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in Game 5 against the Cavaliers, clinching the series and putting away the decisive game that sent him dancing across the logo. The night was filled with plays where Horford acknowledged and pumped up the crowd, shaking off a 34.4% start to the series from the field through the first four games.

"People in the whole Dominican Republic, they just called me right now, they were just watching the games, it's like a curfew for a lot of people," Tito told Boston Sports Journal after the game. "People calling me the whole game, texting me, sending me pictures and I said, 'wow, when I used to play, that never happened. We didn't have that kind of technology,' so I'm very proud of what he's done to represent the country and his team." 

Tito became the first NBA player from the DR when the Milwaukee Bucks drafted him in 1988. His son became the greatest, turning 38 earlier this month and now competing in the NBA Finals for the second time. Playing 17 NBA seasons has allowed him to inspire multiple generations of Dominicans and Dominican-Americans who have reached the NBA by following his footsteps. Tito and Al had the opportunity to play high school basketball in the United States, which led both to play in Division I in college, Tito at Miami and Al becoming a two-time NCAA champion at Florida. That opportunity was crucial, Al said, and wasn't always possible in even the decade following him going No. 3 overall in the 2007 NBA Draft. That led Horford to become an open door for Dominicans seeking advice while pursuing the league, giving out his number, advice and motivation as the most famous player ever from what's increasingly becoming a basketball country. 

Chris Duarte, like many Dominicans, grew up playing baseball. Nearly 1,000 Dominican baseball players have reached MLB and though Horford was beginning his NBA career with the Hawks when Duarte turned 10, he didn't pay attention. He vaguely remembered watching a Hawks game, but baseball was still king in Puerto Plata where he grew up with his brother, who both learned to love basketball. 

Duarte quit baseball and began a winding path to the NBA that involved playing high school basketball in DR at first, then moving to New York to enroll at Redemption Christian Academy upstate, and an associated boarding school where he spent time with in western Massachusetts in Northfield. After two seasons at Northwest Florida State, a junior college, Duarte transferred to Oregon, where he played with future Celtic guard Payton Pritchard and Duarte's roommate LJ Figueroa, a Lawrence native whose parents moved to the US from the DR. Figueroa later made the G-League and now plays in Germany 

"Al Horford, he's a role model to a lot of us, a lot of Dominicans," Duarte told BSJ while he was with the Pacers in 2023. "He's been in the league for a while, for a long time. I got his number. Anytime I have a question, I hit him up. I feel like he's a great adviser for me, because he's been through it all. Ever since he got to the league, he's been successful ... he just told me to keep going, keep pushing. If I ever need anything, hit him up, he would be there for me. I try not to bother him a lot. I know he's a big family guy. He got about five kids now. I know how hard being a dad is because I got two. I can't imagine having five, so I try not to bother him like that, but I don't hesitate if I have questions."

Lester Quiñones, a Dominican-American from New York, wished Horford a happy birthday while meeting him briefly playing for the Dominican under-18 team. The national team reached out to Quiñones about playing, who later joined the Golden State Warriors after climbing through the G-League, and offered him an opportunity to compete. That's when Quiñones became more interested in his heritage. He was a fan of Karl-Anthony Towns growing up more than Horford, knowing Towns shared Dominican heritage. For Figueroa, playing high school basketball as a Massachusetts native when the Celtics signed Horford in 2016 made him an automatic fan. He also represented the DR several times in youth competitions, which featured a mix of Dominican Americans like himself and players from the DR. 

Duarte initially hoped that the wider group of Dominican NBA players, including Horford, would unite for last summer's FIBA World Cup that would put the national team on par with almost any competitor. He had teased former Celtics big Daniel Theis upon his arrival with the Pacers about when his Dominican national team defeated Theis and Germany in a prior tournament, another step for DR, but Indiana traded Duarte to the Kings last summer while Horford played deep into the playoffs with the Celtics. Neither would participate in the World Cup, but Towns committed alongside Figueroa and Quiñones, immediately giving the DR one of the best players in the tournament. They swept the first group stage, beating the Philipines, Italy and Angola, before falling in the second round.

"It gives me a lot of pride when I see these guys able to figure it out, because it's not easy to get to this level," Horford said at Finals media day. "With Chris, I've been able to be in touch with him over the years and it's a really good thing. It shows how much progress Dominican basketball has made. There's always been talent, I feel like, it's just always been hard for guys to be able to break through, and I feel like now there are more opportunities and it's pretty cool to see ... more guys being able to get scholarships for high school to be able to play here, and then eventually that leads to college, whether it's Division I, Division II, things like that and I've seen a lot more of that in the past 15 years. It's been unbelievable. That's something that's really good to see, because in the past, we would see a lot of guys from DR go to Spain. They would have to go to Europe and that's the way that they would find (them), and now, we've been able to open some doors." 

Between his longevity, individual accomplishments, influence on basketball in DR and the Celtics' winning since he arrived in Boston, Horford has little left to accomplish beyond the championship he's now three wins away from. He's still playing at a high level, starting at center during the last two rounds with Kristaps Porziņģis out and remaining in that role for Game 1 of the Finals, holding Mavericks shooters to 26.3% FG on the 19 shots they attempted against him. His family, including Tito, his mother Arelis Reynoso, siblings, wife Amelia, his five children and distant relatives alongside friends fill the stands in what has become a unique gathering for each playoff game. His nine-year-old son Ean has more often joined him along the sideline, handing out towels, sitting on the podium and even celebrating the east finals win in the locker room, spraying beers with the team. Jon Horford, Al's brother, said he believes Al will try to continue playing basketball for as long as he can, but noted that, even if Al won't admit it, legacy is his significant motivation. If Horford wins a championship, Jon thinks Al will be a Basketball Hall-of-Fame lock. 

When Jon was growing up in Michigan, he remembered less of an advice-giving brother and more of a competitive one during their summer workouts. They'd battle on the floor, and that competitiveness continued to show in Al's smile when asked about getting attacked by offenses earlier in the playoffs, his fiery response to making a big play and the special relationship he's described himself having with the TD Garden crowd. Joe Mazzulla, two years younger than Al, explained Horford's influence on the team as inspirational. If he can follow a strict diet -- his sister Anna says cereal is his cheat meal -- along with a strong weight regimen while bringing consistent intensity to the floor, why shouldn't the younger guys be able to? Some, like Jayson Tatum, have tried to implement parts of his approach, which drew some inspiration from Tom Brady and his trainer Alex Guerrero. Jon, who moved into politics after playing college basketball at Michigan, and Al have had discussions about what Al would do after basketball, and beyond spending more time with family, he hasn't thought much about it. 

"He's still able to be a starter on the best team in the NBA at 38 years old," Anna Horford told Boston Sports Journal. "It's definitely the love of the game but he obviously wants to check off that championship box that he's been working his whole career for. He's been fighting for it and I honestly think even if he does get a championship, he'll still play as long as his body will allow him to." 

There's some sense that once you decide to stop playing, you can't turn back. Horford is also signed for one more season on the two-year extension he agreed to after the contract that originally pulled him away from Boston to Philadelphia expired. He'll make $9.5 million next year, but it's no longer about money for the player who has collected nearly $300 million in salary now across his career. A championship could create the next challenge, can Boston run it back with its entire core still signed and try to do it again? This group already checked in with Blake Griffin throughout the season, including Horford, hoping Griffin would rejoin them before he officially announced his retirement earlier this spring. 

It's becoming difficult to imagine this Celtics team without Horford, both from a leadership and productivity standpoint, but also considering the culture he's built around the team and city. He frequents Dominican restaurants in Lawrence, David Ortiz showed up to Fenway Park last week in a Horford jersey alongside the Larry O'Brien trophy as it made its rounds through the city, leaving a special video message for Horford, who previously noted that Ortiz, perhaps the most famous Dominican ever, helped welcome him to Boston and understand what it meant to play here in 2016. 

Duarte, in turn, has taken Horford's advice and tried to pass it down to an even younger group of Dominican players, including Jean Montero, a 20-year-old NBA prospect currently playing in Spain. It's a whole new basketball environment in the DR from the one Horford was born into. 

Dominicans play basketball during school, baseball not possible until after the school day ends. They watch the Finals and increasingly, they have hope to do what Horford has done in the NBA. Horford, his father and his siblings have gone to the country to host camps in the summer, perhaps part of the influence he'll continue to have on the game beyond these Finals and however many championships he can win before he calls it a career. 

"Being from Boston, knowing Horford was a Dominican ... him just being a role model to us," Figueroa told BSJ. "He led the way, for more Dominicans to feel more comfortable and feel like they have a chance to make it. One of us, one of our guys does it, it boosts our confidence ... Dominicans, we're tied in together. We don't keep up with each other every day, but we all want us to succeed and go on the right path."

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Boston (lead 1-0 vs. DAL): Kristaps Porziņģis scored 20 points in 20 minutes, unloading seven shots on nine tries to score 18 points and flash touch from the mid-post and long behind the three-point line in his first game in 38 days. His shocking rhythm sent the crowd into a frenzy from his first touch, drawing free throws in isolation against Luka Dončić, before Boston built a 29-point first-half advantage. The Celtics took Game 1 of the Finals after holding off a Dallas rally back within eight with a 14-0 answer led by Jaylen Brown. The Mavs sold out to stop Jayson Tatum, freeing everyone else for big nights, including Porziņģis in only the second bench appearance of his career. Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Al Horford all held up in an aggressive switching scheme while Boston took 42 threes to Dallas' 27. The Mavs won the second half, 47-44, worth watching into Game 2 on Sunday. 

Dallas (down 0-1 vs. BOS): Luka Dončić, who said he didn't see his knee injury heal during the long layoff before the Finals, only recorded one assist for the first time since 2021 in the Mavs' Game 1 loss. Kyrie Irving, who said the Garden crowd wasn't as loud as he expected, struggled worse, shooting 6-for-19 in his 11th straight loss against his former team. Irving spoke throughout the week leading up to the Finals about the end of his time in Boston, saying that the real story will come out when appropriate. Dereck Lively II picked up five fouls in less than three quarters, ending a rally midway through the game alongside timely Mavericks turnovers. Dončić and Irving combined to shoot 8-for-23 on open or wide-open shots, an opportunity for Game 2.

"They came out and hit us in the mouth early," Irving said. "It's not really like us to give up 37 points (in the first quarter) ... we just want to make it a lot tougher on them ... they really rely on their great defensive ball pressure, their one-on-one defenders and they funnel us into certain areas. Even as I say that ... every time I got an ISO, there's almost two or three people waiting for me in there, so I gotta catch the ball on a live dribble and be aware of my opportunities. It's uncharacteristic for us to only have nine assists ... that starts with me ... there's going to be a level of chess that still has to be played."

Detroit: The Lakers could reportedly eye Pistons head coach Monty Williams among the other candidates they are assessing if the Pistons decide to move on from him with five years remaining on his contract. It's the next difficult decision facing new president Trajan Langdon after the team and Troy Weaver parted ways. A less difficult decision, according to James Edwards, will follow that one when the team is expected to offer Cunningham a max rookie scale extension that would be worth five-years, $225 million beginning in 2025-26. Edwards added that he's 99% sure Cunningham would sign. 

Indiana: Face a difficult extension negotiation with breakout guard Andrew Nembhard following an east finals where he averaged 21.0 PPG and 7.8 APG on 54.1% FG (47.6% 3PT) against the Celtics. The Pacers can only offer him four-years, $75 million due to his low $2-million salary. The new NBA CBA tried to fix those situations by allowing teams to offer 140% raises off the final year of a player's contract to begin an extension, but those still appear below potential market value for rising stars like Nembhard and Celtics guard Derrick White. The Pacers can either make Nembhard a restricted free agent next summer or pick up another season with a team option that'd pay him $2.2 million. Indiana has no first round pick this month (Siakam trade).

Clippers: The casting in Clipped, a Hulu dramatization of the Donald Sterling saga from one decade ago, drew plenty of laughs over the last week, with Doc Rivers, Blake Griffin and the Warriors, among others, played by actors in a fitting Clippers answer to HBO's Winning Time. The story of Sterling's ousting from the NBA over racist comments toward Magic Johnson and others that made LA and Golden State debate a walkout during the playoffs before new commissioner Adam Silver banned the owner for life certainly resonated beyond the sports world at the time. It's hard to imagine, all these years later, how it would resonate if an excellent series about the 1980s Lakers struggled. The podcast series Ramona Shelburne did on this was great though.

Lakers: UConn back-to-back champion head coach Dan Hurley surprisingly emerged as the Lakers' focus in their head coaching search on Thursday, vaulting ahead of previous favorites JJ Redick and James Borrego with conversations so suddenly real that he acknowledged them to his team this week. The highly intense coach met with the Lakers on Friday, a 51-year-old from New Jersey who Jason Kidd praised as a candidate before Game 1 of the Finals. UConn is expected to reassess the six-year, $32.1 million extension Hurley signed in 2023 before his 37-3 repeat effort. Connecticut stars Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle are expected to go in the top 10 of this month's NBA Draft. The Lakers, who pick 17th and 55th overall, are widely expected to pursue USC guard Bronny James as other teams like the 76ers weigh drafting him in an effort to lure LeBron from Los Angeles. 

LeBron James lamented no longer being Kyrie Irving's teammate this week on his podcast, which drew a reaction from Irving at the Finals.  

Miami: Heat legend Alonzo Mourning announced he underwent prostate removal surgery to address Stage 3 cancer is now considered cancer-free. Mourning advocated for the routine prostate cancer screening that discovered the cancer that kills one in 44 men in the United States. Mourning has worked in the Heat's front office since 2008. 

"What scares me about this disease is that there are so many men walking around feeling great and have that cancer in them and they don't know it," Mourning told ESPN. "The only way to find out is to get their blood tested and get their PSA checked. There are 3.3 million men living in the U.S. with prostate cancer, and many don't even know it. I was one of those guys."

Minnesota: Billionaire and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg joined Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez' team as they try to save their effort to purchase the Timberwolves from Glen Taylor. Taylor had affirmed that the team is no longer for sale after accusing Lore and Rodriguez of falling behind on their payment plan. The purchase is now headed to mediation, with Rodriguez visible court side throughout the Wolves' run to the west finals. Bloomberg is considered the 12th-richest person in the world and will try to gain a majority share of the team that's currently only owned 40% by Lore and Rodriguez. Bloomberg could help the prospective ownership group buy out Taylor immediately, but it's unclear how his addition will impact reports that the new group could scale back salaries on the team as the Timberwolves' roster becomes increasingly expensive, with cuts potentially reaching $30 million. 

New York: Adam Silver said the NBA is looking into draft pick protections that incentivized the Mavericks falling back into the draft lottery rather than making the playoffs, an action the NBA fined Dallas for. Dallas traded a protected first-round pick for Kristaps Porziņģis that the team allegedly decided it would rather kick back a year than give up by making the playoffs. The plan could've backfired if the Mavs fell out of the protected range in the lottery, but it didn't and Dallas used the first-round pick on Dereck Lively II. Silver stopped short of crediting the pick for entirely changing the Mavs' fortunes one year later, though, and seemed to think a fine was an appropriate response to the situation. The Knicks now own Dallas' No. 24 pick this year, and plan to shop it alongside their own at 25, according to Jake Fischer. New York could also reportedly extend head coach Tom Thibodeau this summer. 

Oklahoma City: ESPN reported that the Thunder, Jazz, Grizzlies and Bulls could all have interest in moving up in the first round to draft UConn big Donovan Clingan. Oklahoma City would have the most ammunition to do so, including the No. 12 overall pick they own from the Rockets in this draft. The Thunder also own 13 future first round picks plus swaps they can't feasibly own enough roster spots to utilize going forward as they commit to more of their players long-term. Their loss to the Mavericks showed the need for more size alongside Chet Holmgren, while the Gordon Hayward trade that Sam Presti admitted was a miss still leaves room for a veteran contributor on the perimeter. It won't be surprising to see them shop Josh Giddey too. 

Orlando: Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs rookie scale extension talks can begin this summer, and with their max contracts worth more than $200 million over five years, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Magic wait on those while they align their cap space. Wagner also finished the season in a massive shooting slump while Suggs broke out of the offensive struggles that marked his career for the first time this year while becoming an All-Defense force on the other end. How many core members of the team can you keep while trying to utilize cap space that those extensions will eventually cut into in the meantime, all while avoiding apron penalties in this new tax environment? The Magic are a good example of how the new CBA could squeeze small market teams too, especially ones set to pay multiple young stars before they even get to their biggest -- Paolo Banchero. Orlando can open close to $50 million in cap space this summer. 

Philadelphia: Eric Pincus wrote about how the 76ers could become a serious contender for LeBron James if he decides to leave the Lakers in free agency this summer. They're one of three teams with the Pistons and Magic who can sign James outright into their cap space, and Philadelphia has draft picks in prime positions (No. 16 and 41) to draft Bronny James if that adds to the allure of Philadelphia. Family and business have kept James comfortable in LA despite mixed results on the floor since he signed there in 2018. A major family and basketball opportunity could be what it takes to turn James' head, though he reportedly won't join a team simply because they draft his son. It's also worth noting that while the Lakers assessed the possibility of sending James to Golden State before the trade deadline, they hung up on Daryl Morey when he called with the same dream. It's still a long shot. 

Phoenix: Another team to watch in the Bronny James draft sweepstakes in a strong position to select him (No. 22 overall pick). James reportedly had a strong workout with Phoenix. The Suns will also have to weigh James' upside alone, because it'd be extremely difficult to land his father in a trade unless LeBron states his desire to go to Phoenix and nowhere else. In that case, the Suns would have to part with one of their big three. Phoenix' proximity to LA and the boost one of those three players could provide to a Lakers reset makes this possibility at least worth watching, along with how Kevin Durant in particular reacts to the Suns' offseason moves, which began by replacing Frank Vogel with Mike Budenholzer as head coach. 

San Antonio: Reportedly growing interested in trading for Cavs star Darius Garland as they begin their search for a more traditional point guard to pair with Victor Wembanyama. The prospect of landing Trae Young or returning Dejounte Murray to the Spurs have also been floated here, but Garland might become the most certain availability due to reports that Klutch Sports will ask Cleveland to move Garland if Donovan Mitchell remains. It's still unclear if Mitchell will accept a long-term extension from the Cavs this summer, and San Antonio might not have time to wait if those talks grow prolonged. The New Orleans Pelicans are also reportedly eyeing Garland. 

Utah: Promoted Justin Mazzulla, brother of Joe Mazzulla, as a video coordinator for the G-League Salt Lake City Stars. Mazzulla spent this past season with the Jazz in a G-League assistant coach and video coordinator hybrid role after hiring him one year ago. Utah had previously interview Joe for its head coaching position two years ago when the Jazz ultimately hired his fellow Celtics assistant Will Hardy. 

Toronto: Lawyers for Jontay Porter, the former Raptors wing banned for life over allegedly altering his performance to hit betting 'unders,' said Porter was in over his head with a gambling addiction. Police have arrested four men who allegedly influenced Porter to leave games early to win those bets as a way of resolving Porter's gambling debt. Porter isn't charged in the case. One bet involved more than $1 million in winnings from Porter going under his stat projections by leaving the Mar. 20 game early with an illness. MLB also sanctioned several players this week for gambling-related infractions. 

“Jontay is a good young man with strong faith that will get him through this. He was in over his head due to a gambling addiction. He is undergoing treatment and has been fully cooperative with law enforcement,” Porter's lawyer said.

Washington: The NBA Finals feature a matchup between former Wizards starting centers from only one season ago. Daniel Gafford and Kristaps Porziņģis recalled finding themselves in Washington in The Athletic before trades to Dallas and Boston, respectively, this season.