NEW YORK (AP) — The Boston Celtics are sticking with Al Horford as their starting center for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Saturday, even though Kristaps Porziņģis is available to play.
Porziņģis has been fighting an illness and was limited in the Celtics’ two losses to the New York Knicks in Boston. He didn’t play after the second half of Game 1, then went just 14 minutes off the bench in Game 2.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said before the game that Porziņģis, who began his career with the Knicks, would give it a go Saturday and see how he felt.
Porziņģis missed eight games in the second half of the season with an illness that began as an upper respiratory infection that worsened. It’s unclear if his struggles in this series are related.
Horford also has struggled in the series, shooting 4-for-17 overall and making just 1 of his 10 3-pointers.
