Al Horford Reportedly Will Miss 4 Months with Torn Left Pectoral Muscle

Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford will reportedly miss three to four months with a torn left pectoral muscle.

Tweeted Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports:

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Hawks center Al Horford expected to be out 3-4 months with torn left pectoral muscle

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Horford reportedly suffered the injury after being blocked by Roy Hibbert in Wednesday's 96-84 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

What Does It Mean?

Horford wasn't having the All Star-caliber season he did with the Hawks last season, in which he averaged 15.3 points and 9.3 rebounds on 55 percent shooting, but he still was a big part of the team.

He was still shooting 55 percent from the floor this season while averaging 1.3 blocks. However, his rebounding numbers dipped, averaging 7.0 rebounds per game.

Horford scored 14 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished six assists and added a steal and a block in his last full game on Monday in the Hawks' 106-101 victory over the New Jersey Nets.

It will be a big blow to the 7-4 Hawks.

What Happens Next?

Zaza Pachulia will be expected to take over for Horford. On Wednesday, he scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 30 minutes.

Pachulia has only had two seasons in his career in which he's averaged over 20 minutes per game, primarily because he can struggle to finish at the rim and is virtually non-existent as a shot-blocker. For a center, this can be a problem.

However, he is a physical player who gives his all and is a tough defender who won't be pushed around.