Gators hoops legend defies Father Time, sets NBA 3-point record

Former Florida Gators standout and two-time college basketball national champion Al Horford might be in the twilight of his NBA career but he is far from finished.

The 37-year-old is still producing in his 17th professional season, as demonstrated on Saturday when he dropped 23 points for the Boston Celtics en route to a 114-111 comeback victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. Horford nailed seven of his 12 attempts from beyond the arc, becoming the oldest player to ever drain that many threes in an NBA playoff game.

One of those treys came on an amazing play assisted by Jayson Tatum.

“We always talk about spacing, making sure we’re in the right spots. I trusted that he was going to be there, he trusted that I was going to make the right read,” Tatum said of the connection. “That was a hell of a shot that he made.”

All seven of his three-point makes were critical in the Game 3 victory.

During the regular season stretching over 65 games, Horford averaged four three-point attempts per game while draining 1.7 of them, good for a 41.9% clip. Over the course of 13 playoff games in 2024, he has heaved 75 attempts from downtown, landing 26 of them for a 34.7% average.

“I’ve been very blessed to still be in this position, to be able to play at this type of level, to be part of a team like the Celtics,” Horford said. “I’m really making sure that I’m doing everything I can to contribute to the team. … This position that I’m in right now, it’s pretty unique. I’m very grateful for it.”

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Story originally appeared on Gators Wire