Celtics stick with Horford over Porzingis as starting center in Game 3 vs. Knicks

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 Porzingis is available to play.

Porzingis 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 Porzingis, who began his career with the Knicks, would give it a go Saturday and see how he felt.

Porzingis 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.