Horford Out For Round One, Pachulia Out For Start Of Series

Michael Cunningham, the beat writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is reporting that Al Horford will be out for the first round of the playoffs and Zaza Pachulia could miss time in the first few games:

#Hawks C @Al_Horford (pectoral) says he's out for 1st round vs. #Celtics. Hopes to play in 2nd round.

— Michael Cunningham (@ajchawks) April 25, 2012

#Hawks also planning to be without C Zaza Pachulia (foot) for start of series vs. #Celtics.

— Michael Cunningham (@ajchawks) April 25, 2012

Yesterday, Horford met with a specialist that initially shut him down and then hours later greenlit him for 15 minutes a game. I won't believe this news until I see Horford and Patchouli Stink in street clothes for Game 1.

He’s out. No, he’s in. No, wait, Hawks’ Horford is out vs. Celtics. | ProBasketballTalk

Horford went through 4-on-4 full-court drills on Monday and was encouraged, prompting him to tell a reporter he was planning to return for the playoffs. However on Tuesday, Horford said he knew he could not play. “Yesterday, I realized that I’m not nearly where I need to be or want to be – not even to give the team anything,” Horford said. “That’s when we kind of decided that it was best for me to take some time off, keep working, see how I progress. But we are just not where we need to be yet.”