Philadelphia 76ers: How Al Horford Benefitted From NBA Hiatus

Philadelphia 76ers big man Al Horford resisted the idea of a rest day here and there throughout the 2019-2020 NBA season. Although he complied with the team's sports science strategy, admittedly, there was some pushback by Horford. 

As it turns out, the rest days were a positive thing for Horford, who quietly dealt with a knee issue throughout the season. The former Boston Celtics center is no stranger to a case of knee tendinitis, and Horford felt the effects of it with the Sixers too.

Despite missing only five games before the NBA's hiatus, Horford admitted he wasn't feeling one-hundred percent at times throughout the year. While he was starting to get back to optimal health finally, a case of COVID-19 popped up in the NBA on March 11.

In a matter of minutes, the NBA's season was suspended. At that point, the 76ers were forced into what became pretty much another offseason. Horford didn't precisely need that kind of break -- but the Sixers' veteran big man isn't complaining as he's feeling healthy as ever heading into the team's first scrimmage on Friday.

"It was good to get the break," Horford admitted this week. "Honestly, before the season got suspended, that's when I felt my best all year leading up to that. Those last few games, I was starting to feel like I was turning a corner health-wise. Now that we're ramping back up and starting to do different things, we continue to work hard to make sure I'm where I need to be. For me, looking back on it, I actually was feeling well. I'm at a point now where I'm pretty good to go."

Horford might be out of the Sixers' starting lineup when the season resumes, but his benching won't cause his minutes to take a significant hit. During the three-game stint, which Horford came off the bench during the season, he averaged about 24 minutes-per-game, which was a six-minute difference from his season average. While Sixers head coach Brett Brown won't define Horford's role at this time, Horford is still expected to be a key piece off the bench for the Sixers when the playoffs roll around. 

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