Once Al Horford officially chose to depart the Boston Celtics for the Golden State Warriors, the veteran center immediately circled the date of his one and only return to the place he called home for seven of the previous nine seasons.
That date is now here — Wednesday night in Boston — but injury has cruelly robbed the 39-year-old of what would have been the biggest game of his entire regular season with Golden State.
Injury officially robs Al Horford of his emotional homecoming Horford had been one of the Warriors’ most reliable veterans all season, resting only on the second night of back-to-backs while playing productive, high-IQ basketball. He had returned from a frustrating sciatic issue on Christmas Day against the Dallas Mavericks and stayed healthy and impactful… until last Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Starting the game, Horford lasted less than five minutes before exiting with what was later diagnosed as a mild calf strain. The Warriors immediately ruled him out for at least a week — which, devastatingly, includes this long-awaited return to TD Garden.
He did face his former team once already this season, logging 27+ minutes off the bench when the Celtics visited Chase Center just after the All-Star break and won 121-110. But that road game was never going to carry the same weight. Wednesday was supposed to be different — a true homecoming in front of the fans who watched him become a champion, a leader, and a beloved Celtic for nearly a decade.
The franchise had undoubtedly prepared a warm tribute. Horford was a cornerstone of Boston’s culture and helped deliver the 2024 NBA title. There was going to be applause, videos, and genuine love. Yet there was also the unavoidable subtext: Horford left Boston in the aftermath of Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles, reportedly believing (at the time) that the injury-ravaged Celtics would be weaker than the Warriors.
Instead, the script has flipped in the harshest way possible. Golden State’s playoff hopes are fading fast amid a wave of injuries, while the Celtics sit second in the Eastern Conference and have welcomed a fully healthy Tatum back to the floor. The very game Horford had marked on his calendar — his chance to walk back into Boston as a Warrior — has been stolen from him by a freak calf strain.
Kristaps Porzingis will still face his former team While Horford sits sidelined, another ex-Celtic will get his moment. Kristaps Porzingis, traded to the Warriors last month after winning the 2024 title in Boston, will make his first appearance at TD Garden since the deal. He’s expected to receive a warm reception from fans who remember his two strong seasons with the franchise.
Porzingis already faced the Celtics once in his new colors, scoring 12 points in 17 minutes during Golden State’s February 19 loss at Chase Center. He has since found his rhythm, dropping 30 points on just 13 shots in Monday’s win over the Washington Wizards. On Wednesday he’ll be the one representing the new-look Warriors in Boston — while his former teammate and friend Al Horford watches helplessly from the sidelines.
For Horford, this was supposed to be the highlight of the year. Instead, injury has officially robbed him of it.