The Boston Celtics were able to take a surprising 1-0 series lead over the Milwaukee Bucks. Head coach Brad Stevens had high praise for center Al Horford's performance after the game.

Horford played an integral role in Boston's dominant 112-90 win over Milwaukee in Game 1. According to Jay King of The Athletic, Stevens acknowledged once again just how important he is to their success:

“We’ve said all year you can’t overstate Al Horford’s importance to our team.”

Forward Gordon Hayward echoed Stevens' comments with some praise of his own.

“He was I think the Al Horford we all know and love.”

There is no question that Horford has long played an important role in Boston's success ever since his arrival. Things finally started to come to fruition for the five-time All-Star after the Celtics shocked the NBA by going to the Eastern Conference Finals last year without their two biggest star players. Although the return of Hayward and point guard Kyrie Irving has diminished his usage this time around, he is still a vital part of their approach moving forward.

Horford came up big for the Celtics in Game 1 with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists. Aside from his production on offense, he was also instrumental in Boston's attempts to contain forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. As a result, the Celtics have now managed to successfully capture homecourt advantage for the time being. It is safe to assume that Stevens will continue to rely heavily on Horford to help stabilize things on both ends of the floor.