ATLANTAThe Boston Celtics aren't the only ones with a weakened roster due to injuries.
Atlanta Hawks coach Larry Drew confirmed that Al Horford will not play in Game 1 of their playoff series against the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
Horford had left pectoral surgery earlier this year and has missed all but 11 games this season.
The Hawks aren't sure if they'll have Horford's replacement, Zaza Pachulia available, either. He is suffering from a sprained left foot injury.
Drew said the team will not decide until shortly before tip-off if he will play on Sunday.
The Hawks have used Jason Collins at center lately, but won't rule out sliding Josh Smith over to the middle or possibly giving more minutes in the frontcourt to rookie Ivan Johnson or veteran Erick Dampier.
"We've had that issue a great majority of the season," Drew said. "Obviously with Al being gone, we've had games with Zaza out and we've made the adjustments. Obviously, Jason Collins is a guy that we like in this type of position because he's done so well with it. And we can go small at the five-spot, playing Josh at the five, Ivan at the five or we may move Damp, and give him some minutes. We're going to have to feel our way through this."
Boston Celtics
Smith, who averages a team-high 9.6 rebounds per game, is well aware that he and the rest of his teammates have to pick it up on the boards against the Celtics who come into Sunday's game as one of the NBA's worst - No. 29, to be exact - rebounding teams this season. The Hawks have had their problems as well, also ranking in the NBA's bottom 10 in rebounds per game.
"We gotta gang rebound," Smith told CSNNE.com. "Players have to get in there and rebound, including the guards."