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Boston Celtics big man Al Horford has earned the moniker "Playoff Al" for his ability to step up in the postseason. As our Chris Forsberg writes, ...

Horford’s presence alone allows Williams III to thrive, while the young stars of this team have an obvious respect for all that Horford offers. Now Williams III is back and the team has embraced the double big lineup that was such a juggernaut a year ago. There are some days that he shows his age, or simply blends into the box score scenery a bit, and there are grumbles about how effective he might be at an even more advanced age. In part because they know that, when it matters, Horford will be ready. He missed eight of the 10 field goals he attempted, including a couple of bunnies around the basket. Entering Saturday’s game, Horford was holding opponents to 6.3 percent below their expected output, which was the best mark on the team. The Celtics play some of their best defense with Williams III now able to fly around with help while Horford does his typical dirty work around the basket. What’s more, opponents were shooting 11.6 percent below expected inside of 6 feet, per the NBA’s tracking data. Age can erode some of his consistency but, in the biggest moments, Horford is usually the one stiff-arming Father Time. [Joe Mazzulla](https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/joe-mazzulla?b) noted Saturday that, “the box score doesn’t tell the story” with Horford. Twice in the last three days we’ve seen glimpses of Playoff Al. Like during the Bucks series as part of Boston’s Finals run last year.