Al Horford was playing at an all-star level of basketball until his season ended with surgery to repair his torn right pectoral muscle last December. It is his second time experiencing that injury.
"It's the third one to happen in basketball, and I've had two of them," Horford said. It's my right side and my shooting arm. I need to feel 100 percent confident with it. It's just going to be a little bit slower."
Like most a lot of injuries, Horford says that he didn't realize the magnitude of the injury when it occured.
"I didn't," said Horford. "No. I was trying to be positive about the situation. I was actually thinking about going back in the game. I was on the bench (saying) 'No, no, I'm OK.' Then there was something wrong. They took me back (to the locker room), and the Cleveland doctor came to take a look at me. I went to lay on the table, and something there popped...I screamed. It hurt pretty bad. I just saw his face...I didn't even take my shirt off. His face was priceless. Then I knew it wasn't looking good."
The third-round pick out of Florida was off to a great season. Horford only played in 29 games, but averaged 18.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game while shooting with a .567 shooting percentage.
To have an injury, especially a season ending injury, while you're playing at an all-star caliber level would bring a lot of people's hopes down...and keep them down, but that is not the case for Horford.
"It's one of those things that it happened and you can either let it get you down or you can look forward and start focusing on the next thing," said Horford. "For me, this is a setback. It's a small challenge. But I welcome it. It is something that I have experienced before. I can do it. I know I can. I’m working on it."
It is sure now that Horford with not return to the Atlanta Hawks for the playoffs, that is 'if' the Hawks make the playoffs. The Hawks are battling the New York Knicks for the eigth-seed in the eastern conference, which is currently possesed by Atlanta.
"It's the third one to happen in basketball, and I've had two of them," Horford said. It's my right side and my shooting arm. I need to feel 100 percent confident with it. It's just going to be a little bit slower."
Like most a lot of injuries, Horford says that he didn't realize the magnitude of the injury when it occured.
"I didn't," said Horford. "No. I was trying to be positive about the situation. I was actually thinking about going back in the game. I was on the bench (saying) 'No, no, I'm OK.' Then there was something wrong. They took me back (to the locker room), and the Cleveland doctor came to take a look at me. I went to lay on the table, and something there popped...I screamed. It hurt pretty bad. I just saw his face...I didn't even take my shirt off. His face was priceless. Then I knew it wasn't looking good."
The third-round pick out of Florida was off to a great season. Horford only played in 29 games, but averaged 18.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game while shooting with a .567 shooting percentage.
To have an injury, especially a season ending injury, while you're playing at an all-star caliber level would bring a lot of people's hopes down...and keep them down, but that is not the case for Horford.
"It's one of those things that it happened and you can either let it get you down or you can look forward and start focusing on the next thing," said Horford. "For me, this is a setback. It's a small challenge. But I welcome it. It is something that I have experienced before. I can do it. I know I can. I’m working on it."
It is sure now that Horford with not return to the Atlanta Hawks for the playoffs, that is 'if' the Hawks make the playoffs. The Hawks are battling the New York Knicks for the eigth-seed in the eastern conference, which is currently possesed by Atlanta.