Al Horford to miss Wednesday's Celtics-Suns game after entering Health & Safety Protocols
BOSTON -- Al Horford was set to return to the Boston lineup for Wednesday night's game against the Suns in Phoenix. But the Celtics big man will miss the game after entering the league's Health & Safety Protocols.
Horford sat out Monday night's win in Toronto because it was the second game of a back-to-back, and the Celtics are sitting him in such instances to keep him rested throughout the season. Wednesday night will be his sixth absence of the season, and the fourth time since last season that he'll have a COVID-related absence.
The veteran big man missed last season's opener against the Knicks after he tested positive during the preseason. He tested positive again in December and had to miss five games. He was positive again in May, and missed Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat.
There were some questions surrounding Horford's vaccination status last March when he missed a game in Toronto for personal reasons, but he later told The Boston Globe that he was vaccinated.
Horford has played in 20 games this season, averaging 10.2 points and 6.3 rebounds over 31.6 minutes per game. His absence will leave Boston a bit shorthanded against the 16-8 Suns, though the Celtics have had success with Luke Kornet and Blake Griffin filling the Horford-void so far this season.
