Hawks guard Dyson Danielsacquired as part of Atlanta's blockbuster trade that shipped Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans, put on the defensive braces during Murray's first game against his old team, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Murray was limited to shooting just 2 of 15 from the field against the Hawks, while Daniels scored 19 points on 50% field goal shooting.
Murray was frequently booed by the home crowd in Atlanta and was unable to muster much attacking power against Daniels. Daniels has emerged as the defense-oriented backcourt partner the Hawks hoped Murray would be when they first acquired him from the Spurs in 2022.
The 21-year-old Daniels is in the third season of his rookie contract and appears to fit well into his new squad. So far this year, the 6-foot-1 guard is averaging a best-ever 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 3.0 assists per night.
There's more from the Southeast Division:
- The heat sent rookie center Kel'el Ware reports that they will be using some representatives for the first time with their G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Ware has logged a total of 69 minutes in the first 20 contests in Miami this year. The 7-footer was selected with the No. 15 pick out of Indiana.
- The wizard“The epic losing streak has reached 15 games, closing in on the team’s franchise record,” he writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. With 16 consecutive losses, Washington tied that record just last season. The Wizards could potentially match or even break that record. Washington next plays Dallas, Denver and Memphis, all West squads with winning records.
- Hornets center Mark Williams was preparing for its first game in nearly a year, a 110-104 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday. Williams was sidelined due to a persistent tendon strain in his left foot. Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer writes that the big moment represented a positive step forward for the young center. The 7-foot-10 tall man played just nine minutes of play and scored four points on 1 of 4 shooting from the floor and 2 of 2 shooting from the foul line. He also grabbed three rebounds and blocked a shot.
