Oct 8, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) reacts to game action with guard Jaylen Brown (7) and center Al Horford (42) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Boston Celtics will look for their fifth consecutive win and 14th win of the season against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Celtics will host the Timberwolves on Sunday for their first matchup of the season.
This matchup is set to be a great one, as these two teams went neck and neck with each other last season. The Timberwolves have had a tough start to the season, and the opposite is true for the Celtics. Nonetheless, both teams have high expectations this season, and it'll be interesting to see how they both pan out.
The Celtics will have their key starter, veteran center Al Horford on the court. Horford, who was listed as questionable due to illness, is available and will play against the Timberwolves.
Horford was a late addition to the injury report due to a non-COVID illness on Friday, which caused him to miss the game. However, he is healthy enough to play on Sunday.
The 38-year-old has been solid for the Celtics thus far. He's averaging 10.2 points per game, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 0.8 blocks while shooting 51 percent from the field and 47 percent from three.
Horford has played in 13 games this season, averaging 27.4 minutes per game. He is in his seventh season in Boston and has started every single game thus far.
The other key Celtics key man who is ruled out is Kristaps Porziņģis. Porziņģis is still recovering from offseason foot surgery. He was recently assigned to the G League's Maine Celtics to take part in practice after being cleared by doctors.
This is a great sign of a potential return sometime in the coming weeks.
Porzingis advacned to the next phase of his recovery as he continues to trend in the right direction in his recovery from offseason surgery to repair a tendon in his left ankle.
On Monday, he practiced with the G League team and then returned to Boston, where he will continue to ramp up his workload. A target date for his season debut has yet to be announced, but Porzingis told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN prior to training camp that he expects to resume playing "sometime in December" at the latest and "hopefully earlier than that."
His return is on the horizon, and he will be a great help to an already-stacked team.
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