Boston Celtics injury news: Al Horford to miss October 22 Magic game
Al Horford won’t be present in the lineup for the Boston Celtics when the Cs travel to Orlando Saturday, October 22 to take on an 0-2 Magic. Per The Athletic’s Jay King, Horford will be sitting out due to low back stiffness.
Awoke from a pregame nap to news that Al Horford (low back stiffness) will miss tonight’s game. He was initially expected to play both legs of the back to back, but was ruled out today after playing 33 mins last night. Will be interesting to see how Mazzulla handles frontcourt.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) October 22, 2022
The Cs will likely give an extended look to Noah Vonleh in his absence. Vonleh has played 35 minutes through 2 games and particularly stood out against the Miami Heat last night, getting easy (and emphatic) dunks at the rim that were created by his own assertion in the paint.
Blake Griffin should also see some floor-time after not playing against Miami on October 21. Griffin played 8 minutes in the team’s T.D. Garden opener against the Philadelphia 76ers this past Tuesday.
The Boston Celtics could play Luke Kornet for the first time in 2022-23
While Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens is seemingly a big fan of Luke Kornet, interim head coach Joe Mazzulla has not been putting the Vanderbilt product on the floor outside of scant preseason minutes.
Kornet played with the starters during the opening day of training camp, but an ankle injury has seemingly put him behind the 8-ball in Boston’s rotation. Missing time in a newly implemented offense from Mazzulla — which focuses more on quick baskets in transition than Ime Udoka’s in 2021-22 — has cost Kornet key minutes he could earn back tonight against the Magic.
If the Cs go up big as the sportsbooks expect them to, Kornet could get plenty of garbage time to re-establish himself in the rotation.