Dyson Daniels, who continues to thrive in a more facilitative role, hit a double-digit assist total for the first time in his three-year NBA career as the Atlanta Hawks surged home to claim an unlikely come-from-behind victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
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In the first game since Atlanta dealt Bogdan Bogdanovic and DeAndre Hunter at the trade deadline, Aussie terrier Daniels was once again thrust into a facilitative role and didn’t look out of place.
The 21-year-old recorded a double-double on Saturday (AEDT), scoring 15 points on 5-12 shooting from the field and adding a career-best 10 assists and six rebounds in an all-round performance.
Daniels, the NBA’s steals leader, was assigned nine-time All-Star Bucks guard Damian Lillard on the defensive end and stuck with the All-NBA veteran, helping limit him to a 7-19 shooting night.
In the second period, a ball-handling Daniels navigated his way inside the key and bounce-passed to Onyeka Okongwu for an easy deuce.
Trusted with facilitating the offence while Trae Young rested, Daniels looked comfortable with the responsibility of making correct passes, time after time finding teammates in advantageous positions on the floor.
The Bendigo product finished the first half with five assists and two rebounds. However, he struggled with his shot, going 1-5 from the field for three points.
Atlanta trailed Milwaukee by 18 points at half-time, but the script soon flipped completely.
The Hawks outscored the Bucks 37-17 in the third quarter, and the aggressiveness of Daniels was again a highlight.
“Dyson Daniels has got the right idea when he puts his head down and gets two feet into the paint,” the Hawks broadcast said after an and-one finish got the crowd going.
Daniels’ sole steal of the evening ensured his league-best active streak continued.
Atlanta pulled its deficit to just six points with four minutes remaining in the third.
Daniels added two more after another strong drive to the basket to tie the scores, with the Hawks clearly with the ascendancy.
The 6-8 Australian’s 10th assist of the game — an unprecedented NBA feat for Daniels — came in clutch-time, helping Atlanta close the deal by five points at home.
Daniels wound up one of four Hawks players to register a double-double on Saturday, with the Hawks moving to 24-28, sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference as they now break for All-Star festivities.
In their deal with the Los Angeles Clippers for three-point deadeye Bogdanovic, the Hawks were able to acquire guard Terence Mann and reserve scorer Bones Hyland.
From the Cleveland Cavaliers, in return for three-and-D piece Hunter, Atlanta attained guard Caris LeVert, forward Georges Niang, three second-round picks and two swaps.
“Obviously, I haven’t been here very long, but I made good connections with both of them. They’ll be friends, brothers for life, so I wish them all the best,” Daniels told Atlanta media earlier on Saturday.
“We’ve got some new guys coming in as well who are really good players, so I’m looking forward to getting to meet them, getting to know them and, yeah, getting to work with them.
“It’s part of the business. People come in and out all the time, so you just be ready to move forward now and finish the season strong.”
WILD WEMBY BLOCK STUNS
Victor Wembanyama has again opened eyes, this time with a standing, no-jump block on Saturday in San Antonio’s nailbiter against Charlotte.
The Hornets’ DaQuan Jeffries dribbled in the lane and stopped for a mid-range floater, only to be denied by the 7’3 Wembanyama, who didn’t even have to leave the ground to dispatch Jeffries’ shot attempt.
Wemby’s incredible no-jump block! | 00:18
Wembanyama finished with 16 points for the night but shot only 7-20 from the field as the Hornets emerged surprise victors.
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