76ers' Al Horford Recently Reacted to Facing Boston Celtics in NBA Playoffs

Philadelphia 76ers veteran big man Al Horford is no stranger to the playoffs. After all, he's appeared in the postseason in eleven of the last twelve seasons. However, this year's playoff run will be slightly different.

For the last three years, Al Horford has suited up in Boston Celtics green during the playoffs. And when he was a Celtic during their 2017-2018 playoff run, Horford was a critical piece to Boston's ability to take down the Sixers in five games that year.

And although Philly never got a shot at revenge during last year's playoff run, the revenge series will come during the 2019-2020 NBA Playoffs, which are set to begin next week. Except for this time around, Horford joined the other team.

Last year, it became clear there was a good shot that Horford was going to test free agency during the 2019 offseason. And once July rolled around, the Sixers prioritized the veteran big man to come in and help Philly get over their playoff hump.

Although Horford wasted no time leaving Boston and inking a four-year deal with the Sixers last summer, the veteran big man did feel a sense of awkwardness when he had to face the Celtics a few times throughout the year. 

Now beginning next week, Horford will have to face his old squad four to seven times, depending on how the series goes. Before, it might've been weird, as Horford previously described. Now, Horford claims the strange feeling of suiting up in his old team's rival uniform to face off against them is out of the way.

"It's part of the business," Horford said on Wednesday night following a matchup against the Raptors. "Obviously, we've already played them plenty of times this year so that effect is out of the way. So now we can go out there and compete, and it should be a fun series." 

Considering the chances of the Sixers facing off against the Celtics were already high back in March after the season suspended, Horford had a lot of time to think about the matchup. At this point, after facing the Celtics three times this season (sitting out once), Boston's former big man is over the awkwardness and ready to compete.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_