ATLANTA — Al Horford had hoped to give the Atlanta Hawks a boost in the playoffs.
    Now he knows that won't be possible, at least not in the opening round.
    The All-Star center said Wednesday he's definitely out for the best-of-seven series against Boston, which begins this weekend. The Hawks will get home-court if they win their regular-season finale against Dallas, or if the Celtics lose their last game to Milwaukee.
    "You obviously want to be there for your team and try to help them," Horford said after taking some shots on his own at the Philips Arena practice court. "But I realized I'm not nearly where I need to be or want to be to give the team anything."
    Horford has missed most of the season recovering from surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle.