Al Horford Website Launched By Hawks

Rod700 · Post #1 » by **Rod700** » Mon Apr 7, 2008 9:00 pm

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archi ... al4roycom/

www.al4roy.com

Relientk101 · Post #2 » by **Relientk101** » Mon Apr 7, 2008 11:34 pm

kevin durant

D5150 · Post #3 » by **D5150** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 12:59 am

yeah, no disrespect (i really like horford) but come on. after the last month, is there really any question as to who should be ROY?

CAM · Post #4 » by **CAM** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 1:32 am

I've been pushing for Al all season long, and I think he has a shot, but last nights performance from Kevin has to of sealed it for him...

MrCavs · Post #5 » by **MrCavs** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 2:57 am

You guys should be more worried about play-offs, than awards..

How about

www.hawks=playoffs.com

Much better ring to it doesnt it?

High 5 · Post #6 » by **High 5** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 3:07 am

If one game decides it then Thorton should win it. I wish people would get off the points and realize that there is so much more to the game.

CAM · Post #7 » by **CAM** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 5:17 am

Yes, but he has improved his fg%, and that '1 game' he almost had a triple double, while hitting two huge 3's to win his team the game.

Don't get me wrong, I want Al to win, but the things that Durant has been knocked for (fg%, shot selection, well rounded game) he has been doing lately.

High 5 · Post #8 » by **High 5** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 5:37 am

The game before he went 2-17 and didn't get to the FT line once. He did have a great March, but Horford has him for the season IMO.

CAM · Post #9 » by **CAM** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 5:58 am

I hope the media see's it that way High 5.

Go Al.

HoopsGuru25 · Post #10 » by **HoopsGuru25** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 6:21 am

I really get annoyed when people argue over things like the MVP/ROY/M.I.P but I will say this. Earlier in the season..the only thing Kevin Durant did well was get up shots(not necessarily hit them)and his D was pretty awful. I felt his impact on the game was similar to a Willie Green/Jamal Crawford type player but he got the benefit of the doubt because he was a rookie(despite the consensus being that these type of players suck). I actually felt like he was a big part of the reason why the Sonics were so bad.

That being said...I think Horford has had a good but not great year. I think he has been the most consistent among an underwhelming group of rookies all year but Durant only needed one strong month to overtake him for ROY and that happened. I know Durant is on a tanking team who traded their 2nd leading scorer(Wally)and shut down their 3rd leading scorer(Wilcox)for the season but shooting over 50% for a month as a perimeter player is pretty damn good. I have no problem with Durant getting it if he keeps playing like this.

Durant did have an obvious advantage. He plays on an awful team where he can take as many shots as he wants. Horford is clearly the 5th option among our starting 5. Durant has had two games all year where he hasn't had 10 field goal attempts compared to 52 for Horford. It would be interesting to see if Durant got drafted by Portland(assuming they kept Randolph)and if the Hawks got rid of their top 2 scorers prior to the season like Seattle did. I think the raw numbers between the two would be much closer.

conleyorbust · Post #11 » by **conleyorbust** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 1:27 pm

All these awards are intentionally subjective because it allows for more hype by the NBA and the supporting media outlets. As far as this one goes, I think Hoops has it down. I don't actually think this is a "weak" group, three of the top 4 players were teenagers and the best of the bunch skipped the season. There have been some really solid role players in this season's rookie class and a couple guys that look like they will be good ones down the road. The problem is that the voters like to give the award to the guy with the "star" qualities. Durant drops 30 pt. games, hits game winners, and is the lead scorer on his team. Thats enough for them. That his defense is so bad that he is literally a net negative every time he is on the floor doesn't factor in, and maybe it shouldn't.

I do agree with Hoops that Horford has been solid but unspectacular. I think that bodes well for him, he doesn't force the action anymore. I like him a lot as an important peice of our franchise, he came in and pulled down a double-double and played average-ish defense which translates to awsome defense for a rookie. I don't see him as a franchise player though.

evildallas · Post #12 » by **evildallas** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 3:36 pm

I think the campaign is too late to be effective. The other thing I think is that while Al got big minutes, he was still brought along slow on the offensive end. Not saying its a bad thing but I think that hurts his chance at awards. For the minutes he clocked it would have been nice if he got a few more shots to get his average up to 12-13 pts per game. That would have really helped his case.

Furthermore, Durant got some big highlights on his side and the last month of stats also help his case. I think Durant wins.

Also got to disagree with Conleyorbust, I see Horford developing into a franchise player. One caveat I see it with a different coaching staff. Our big man player development has been a negative this year. I'm calling you out Alton Lister. Horford has the physical tools to become a 20-12 beast with continued development. The team has to make the right big man coach hire to make this happen.

His name is Clifford Ray. He worked with Dwight Howard during a breakout season, then Al Jefferson, and this season he stayed around to work with Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis. Pay him what he wants to get him down here, his resume speaks for itself. Players get better under his tutelage.

conleyorbust · Post #13 » by **conleyorbust** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 4:42 pm

evildallas wrote:
Also got to disagree with Conleyorbust, I see Horford developing into a franchise player. One caveat I see it with a different coaching staff. Our big man player development has been a negative this year. I'm calling you out Alton Lister. Horford has the physical tools to become a 20-12 beast with continued development. The team has to make the right big man coach hire to make this happen.

His name is Clifford Ray. He worked with Dwight Howard during a breakout season, then Al Jefferson, and this season he stayed around to work with Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis. Pay him what he wants to get him down here, his resume speaks for itself. Players get better under his tutelage.

Oh, a different coaching staff for our player development is one of the biggest reasons I think we need a coaching shakeup.

That said, Dwight and Jefferson came into the league as highschoolers but already had better offensive foundations - Dwight because he is so physically dominant and Jefferson because even as a high school student he had the most advanced post game out of a prospect since Duncan.

Don't get me wrong, Al has room to improve but he doesn't actively exploit favorable matchups. He doesn't back down smaller guys and destroy them on the blocks and he doesn't face up bigger guys and go right by them for a layin/dunk/foul shot. He doesn't have a super advanced post game, he isn't a vicious finisher like Amare, and he doesn't have the smooth jumper that Boozer/Brand have.

At this point I'd love to see Al develop into a 16-12 type of player who scores an extremely high percentage. Until I see more aggression out of him, I just can't believe he will be a dominant offensive player in this league... consistently productive? For sure. Thats what I like about him.

JoshB914 · Post #14 » by **JoshB914** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 6:10 pm

As long as ESPN continues to hype up Durant, it doesn't matter. Hype alone is going to win KD the ROY, it's pathetic. I truly loathe that channel.

will · Post #15 » by **will** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 6:41 pm

A little late for this campaign, no?

Don't get me wrong, Al has had a very good rookie year, but as soon as Oden was out for the year, everyone knew the ROY was going to Durant. It was going to Durant not only for his play on the court, but for what he is about to do for the Sonics franchise. He is their franchise player, and will be one of the faces of the NBA for years to come.

Waste of time and money for the Hawks to do this.

Skar · Post #16 » by **Skar** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 10:37 pm

Durant will steal the ROY.

D5150 · Post #17 » by **D5150** » Wed Apr 9, 2008 1:48 am

durant has put up better overall numbers under much more pressure and higher expectations. he isn't stealing anything. he deserves it. period.

JoshB914 · Post #18 » by **JoshB914** » Wed Apr 9, 2008 2:04 am

D5150 wrote:durant has put up better overall numbers under much more pressure and higher expectations. he isn't stealing anything. he deserves it. period.

On what planet is 20 ppg and a terrible percentage "better overal numbers" than 10 & 10 and shooting a high percentage? If you want to talk about the "pressure" on Durant as a legit factor, then he has done a terrible job as that team is one of the worst in the league.

raleigh · Post #19 » by **raleigh** » Wed Apr 9, 2008 2:04 am

D5150 wrote:durant has put up flashier overall numbers under much less pressure and outlandish hype.

FYP

Bucky O'Hare · Post #20 » by **Bucky O'Hare** » Wed Apr 9, 2008 2:10 am

I just got done watching my Pacers put a hurting on the Hawks, and I have to say, if Al Horford is Rookie of the Year, then it's a sad day for the NBA. To me he's nothing more than another Drew Gooden. A good rebounder and not much else. His offensive game is weak, he's not even close to being a shot blocking threat, and his passing leaves a lot to be desired. I'll agree with richboy in that Carl Landry is the better PF prospect.