NBA: Ranking all 30 starting power forwards for 2018-19

4. Al Horford, Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics could go small with an all-wing lineup and start Al Horford at the 5, but considering Aron Baynes‘ defense, and the fact that Big Al prefers to play the 4, it makes more sense to bring one of Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum off the bench. In that scenario, Horford is the team’s starting “power forward.”

In any case, despite his pedestrian-for-a-star stat line, Horford finally got his due last year as the two-way linchpin for Boston’s success. That was especially evident in the playoffs, when the Celtics came one win shy of the Finals despite Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward both being hurt.

Horford only averaged 12.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 blocks per game last year, but he elevated his game in the playoffs, and his importance as a 42.9 percent 3-point shooter and multi-positional defender for the league’s stingiest defense shouldn’t be overlooked. Plain and simple, Al Horford is a superstar on both ends of the floor.