As Horford has juggled starting and coming off the bench throughout the season, this latest adjustment isn’t anything new for him.

“My approach kinda remains the same,” Horford told reporters over the weekend. “I want to make sure that defensively I’m solid, I’m giving support to the group. That I’m doing the things that I need to do on that end. My job hasn’t changed. Then on offense, continuing to stay ready and whatever I need to do. For me, it’s all about continuing to impact winning. It doesn’t change.”

Horford was more than solid defensively during the Celtics’ first-round series against the Heat. Boston had a 100.4 defensive rating with Horford on the court, while Miami shot 48.6 percent from the field when he was the closest defender, according to NBA.com. That’s a pretty solid number considering nearly half of the field goal attempts he faced were Bam Adebayo shots near the rim. He also flexed his defensive versatility, with Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin shooting 29.4 percent from the field when Horford was the closest defender.

When you consider Horford’s 18.4 net rating, one could argue that the Celtics were better with him on the court in the first round than they were with Porzingis, who had a net rating of four against the Heat. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla credited Horford for helping to lead by example following their Game 5 win over the Heat.

“Al kind of sets the temperature for us with just his ability to impact the game basketball-wise, but also with his personality and his aggressiveness,” Mazzulla told reporters on Wednesday. “He set the table for us tonight, he set the tone for us, and everybody followed suit.”

While Mazzulla pointed to Horford’s approach on the court for helping to inspire the rest of the team, the veteran called out the reserve bigs to step up when needed.

“I’m expecting some of our guys, whether it’s Luke [Kornet], whether it’s Neemy (Neemias Queta), whether it’s Xavier [Tillman Sr.], to step up and be able to play minutes for us when their numbers are called,” Horford said. “I’m excited for those guys and for that opportunity.”

If the Heat series was any indication, Kornet will likely be the first big off the bench from that group. After missing the first two games of the series due to a calf strain, Kornet entered the rotation for the Celtics and actually made an impact. The Heat shot 31.6 percent when he was the closest defender.

Most of those shot attempts came from Adebayo. The Heat star shot 5 of 14 from the field over the course of the series when Kornet was on him, including a 2-of-10 showing in Game 5.

But Kornet’s defensive impact went beyond that. He had a 76.4 defensive rating in the series, serving as the Celtics’ secondary rim protector in Game 5. Mazzulla has previously said he trusts Kornet to dictate what the team does with its coverages and assignments defensively, though he’s downplayed his impact.

“I feel like it’s not just myself,” Kornet said. “He’s done that with our entire team and I think it’s funny because throughout the course of the season, we were fluid with a lot of stuff and [Mazzulla] letting us know that it’s not going to look a certain way every single time. It’s not just one coverage you have to rely on.

“As you go through all the experiences together and all those little moments, you start to really feel it out and have the freedom to know that you can adapt your play style.”

Luckily for the Celtics, they’ll get a Cavaliers frontline that’s a bit banged up. Starting center Jarrett Allen missed the final three games of their first-round series due to a rib injury and it’s unknown when he might return. With Evan Mobley moving over to center as a result, maybe the Celtics throw Tillman more into the mix rather than Kornet.

Regardless, the Celtics should have enough in the frontcourt beyond Porzingis to handle the Cavaliers in Round 2, especially after Cleveland scored just 95.6 points per game in the first round.