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Finally some good news for this Atlanta Hawks team on the injury front. Al Horford has been cleared to begin contact work in practice for the first time since having surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle on January 17.
#Hawks C @Al_Horford cleared for contact work. Had pectoral surgery Jan. 17 returned for noncontact practice 2+ weeks ago.
— Michael Cunningham (@ajchawks) April 17, 2012
Horford returned to practice two weeks ago and began doing non-contact work but has now been cleared to begin the next phase of his comeback. Horford vowed earlier to try to be ready for the playoffs and it would appear that he is on course for that.
The news comes at a good time for Atlanta given the uncertainty surrounding Zaza Pachulia and his foot injury. What was originally thought to be a day or two injury is actually a sprained ligament that could sideline him for the last five games of the regular season.