I thought about giving this honor to one of the Nuggets in their rout of the Lakers, but isn’t the young Hawks’ 97-86 win over the Celtics in Boston more impressive? Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford all played well, but it was Al Horford that held down the middle against Boston’s formidable front line.

Horford posted 12 points (on 6-9 shooting), 13 rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. On the season, he’s averaging 13.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks, and his subtle game meshes perfectly with Atlanta’s “stars.” The Hawks are now 7-2 and look like they are ready to take a step forward this season. Horford is a big reason why.