"What if... there was an mid-season MVP trophy awarded, who would it be for the Atlanta Hawks"?

by Brian Rauf from http://www.chatsports.com/atlanta-hawks/a/What-Does-Al-Horfords-Return-Mean-for-Atlanta-10-64-115

          My candidate be would be Al Horford, no doubt. I know, I know, there's many good players on the team. Jeff Teague is improving as a leader and point guard. Paul Millsap has seemed to be their most consistent player. But to me, Horford has been the man. His footwork and versatility, not just on the defensive end. For a center, he has a great mid-range which few in the league possess.
I know others are going to say, Hey, shouldn't Millsap or Teague be the MVP of the team? Well, what if you take a look at the Hawks with and without Horford? Last season, he played only 29 games and they were 44-38. This year, they have only one less in the win column and it's still not the All-Star break yet. Horford has been the difference maker whether he knows it or not. His stats are not career best but players around him are playing better because of him. Would you agree or is there anyone else on the team you would give it to?

What if... the Atlanta Hawks had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Lauren Moranor from http://www.sportsworldreport.com/articles/18083/20130712/milwaukee-bucks-rumors-jeff-teague-asks-atlanta-hawks-match-offer.htm

                                       
          Surprisingly, the Atlanta Hawks are in a great situation. Who would've thought they would be the second best team on the East with a remarkable 23-8 start. Even though the Hawks are off to a great start, they need a few more adjustments to make it to the next level and call themselves title contenders. They need to find that one player who can make the last shot of the game whether it's Jeff Teague, Al Horford, or Paul Millsap. In order for the Hawks to advance deeper into the playoffs, I believe Teague has the ability to take that one extra step and be that team leader. We all know what Paul Millsap is capable of with his mid-range, post up, and defense tenacity. Kyle Korver is a great teammate to have who can shoot the three and DeMarre Carroll is a player to watch out for. He's the type of player who can defend Lebron James or Kevin Durant. He won't stop them but he will slow them down. Al Horford is coming back from a shoulder injury and should play like the way he did a season ago. Jeff Teague has shown improvements and could be the go-to player for the Atlanta Hawks in a few years.

          The team has a great starting five led by head coach, Mike Budenholzer. Last year, they made it to the playoffs but it was as a eighth seed with just a record of 38-44. This group of players has been meshing for a few years and their chemistry will grow game by game with the return of Al Horford. In order for the Hawks to be a threat, Jeff Teague must make himself a leader how Mike Conley Jr. did for the Memphis Grizzles. It's not going to happen overnight but he will gradually learn. The Atlanta Hawks are in a good spot and their fans should be proud of them.