Sports Page Atlanta

Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford might have got snubbed for NBA Rookie of the Year, but he was the only unaminous choice on the All-Rookie first team. Horford got 58 votes compared to the Rookie of the Year winner Kevin Durant’s 57. Other first team members include Luis Scola, Al Thornton and Jeff Green.

Hawks guard Acie Law received one vote and former Georgia Tech forward Thaddeous Young was named to the second team.

Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks, may or may not win the NBA Rookie of the Year award later today, but if he doesn’t he will be named to the NBA Rookie first team and for the Hawks that hasn’t happened to a member since 1991-92.

That is where ‘The Plastic Man’ Stacey Augmon was honored. Augmon averaged over 13 points and 5 rebounds for Atlanta and played tremendous defense as well. Augmon played his first 5 of 15 total seasons for the Hawks.

Since then a few players came close to reaching first team honors… Marvin Williams was 2nd team in 2005-06. Josh Childress and Josh Smith were 2nd team in 2004-05 and Jason Terry was 2nd team back in 1999-2000.

With apologies to Houston Rockets power forward Luis Scola, the NBA Rookie of the Year award should be a battle between Al Horford of the Hawks and Kevin Durant of the Sonics… and without being a homer, I’d give it to Horford… ok I was being a homer, but look at the tale-of-the-tape…

                            Horford     Durant

games/starts 81/77 80/80

points per game 10.1 20.3

field goal pct 49.9 43.0

3-pt field goal pct 0.0 28.8

free throw pct 73.1 87.3

rebounds per game 9.7 4.4

assists per game 1.5 2.4

steals per game 0.7 1.0

blocks per game 0.9 0.9

double-doubles 25 1

team record 37-45 20-62

OK, so it looks like Durant’s a little better, he might be, but c’mon 1 double-double? I know he is guard but grab a board or two. He is averaging less than 1 offensive rebound a game (someone should some him video of Sundiata Gaines.) Of course his scoring is higher, Horford has 3-4 guys on his team that can score while Durant took 1,366 shots, the next highest Seattle player took 749.

More importantly Horford helped the Hawks in the one area they needed the most, while the Not So SuperSonics finished with the 2nd to worst record in the NBA. But on the bright side, Durant gets to watch Horford in the NBA playoffs as he counts the days to when Derrick Rose gets to be his teammate (so he can take more shots.)

Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson was awarded the Kia Eastern Conference Player of the Month award for his play during the month of March.

Johnson, who has led the Hawks into playoff contention for the first time since the 1998-99 season, averaging 24.9 points and 7.0 assists in 42.2 minutes in March. Johnson scored 20-or-more points 12 times, including eight straight with 20-plus, and 30-or-more points three times.

Also given an award was Al Horford, who was awarded the T-Mobile Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award for the month of March.

Among Eastern Conference rookies in March, Horford ranked first in scoring with 11.9 points per game, as well as rebounds with 8.7 per game. He tied career highs of 20 points and six assists on March 19 at New Jersey, while pulling down 15 rebounds. In addition, Horford recorded six double-doubles. Horford has had double-figure rebounds in 37 games and scored 10-plus points on 32 occasions this season.

Saturday night’s Atlanta Hawks match-up with the Miami Heat marks an historic epic … well, they’re re-playing an extra 51.9 seconds from a December game where the officiating crew and scoring table forgot how to count. Al Horford wants you to get there early.