Al Horford suffered a concussion while practicing with the Boston Celtics on October 30, and he hasn’t played since.
For now, the Celtics don’t know when he’ll play again, per Mass Live’s Jay King:
Al Horford (concussion) did not practice today.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) November 7, 2016
Horford’s safety and long-term health is the primary concern here, but the Celtics, quite clearly, need him back as soon as possible. They are 1-2 since Horford was pinned to the sidelines, and they’re also missing Jae Crowder, who is on the shelf with an ankle injury. Horford’s absence is made doubly complicated by Kelly Olynyk’s own stay on the injured list. He has yet to play this season while dealing with shoulder issues.
The Celtics’ defense has been, to put it kindly, shaky in the face of all these injuries—which included a brief absence from Marcus Smart to start the year. They have been torched for 256 points over their last two games, both of which ended in regulation, and now rank 29th in points allowed per 100 possessions, leading only the lowly, sorry, hopelessly hapless New York Knicks.
Fortunately for the Celtics, they’re still playing .500 basketball, thanks in large part to an offense that ranks second in defensive efficiency, despite all the injuries. But this was a team that was supposed to contend for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, perhaps even legitimately challenging the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s just not going to happen until they shore up the defense.
And that’s not going to happen until Horford and Crowder return, and the Celtics are finally healthy.
