Hoops Habit
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NBA: Every Team’s Most Valuable Player

By Maxwell Ogden

Oct 24, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Scottrade Center. The Timberwolves won 113-112. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Scottrade Center. The Timberwolves won 113-112. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 20, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford (15) posts up against Charlotte Hornets center Bismack Biyombo (8) in the first half of their game at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford (15) posts up against Charlotte Hornets center Bismack Biyombo (8) in the first half of their game at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford

Position: Center

Age: 28

2013-14 Season Averages: 22.08 PER, 33.0 MPG, 18.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.5 BPG, 0.9 SPG

2013-14 Slash Line: .567/.364/.682

This isn’t an attempt to start a debate about which Atlanta Hawks big man is superior. Instead, it’s acknowledging that Atlanta needs both Al Horford and Paul Millsap together.

It’s simply position and health that makes Horford the Most Valuable Player.

Millsap is an All-Star, but so too is Horford. The center from the Dominican Republic made consecutive All-Star Game appearances in 2010 and 2011, as well as an All-NBA nod in the latter year, but he’s struggled to stay healthy ever since.

Horford played in just 11 games in 2011-12 and just 29 in 2013-14. His absence was felt in 2013-14 with talented, but not quite starting-caliber big men Pero Antic and Gustavo Ayon being tasked with filling his void.

If Atlanta is to escape the middle-of-the-road position it’s been in for the past seven seasons, it needs Horford to be healthy. He’s not only the center, but often the catalyst for what happens on either end.

If he and Millsap are out there together, Atlanta will turn heads in 2014-15.