The Atlanta Hawks went into Charlotte and absolutely destroyed the Hornets. Their 47-point win was the largest margin of victory in franchise history. Yes, history was made Friday night in the Queen City.
A blowout doesn't just happen without reason, though. There's always a spark provided by someone, resulting in a clear momentum shift. Usually, it arrives via the scoring department. A player typically catches fire, mainly from beyond the arc, and the rest of the team begins to match their energy.
For Atlanta, in their second win of the new season, their spark wasn't a scoring burst, it was the relentlessness of one of their key guards on the glass.
Daniels fighting created separation amidst a back-and-forth start
A quick look at the box score and final score certainly wouldn't suggest that in the first few minutes, this was anyone's game.
It was up for the taking, until it wasn't. The two teams were trading buckets in the first several minutes of the game. Of course, consistent scoring comes in bunches. A possession doesn't have to end after a miss, though.
Daniels didn't let it. In the first four minutes of the game, the 23-year-old enforcer had already collected four rebounds. Three of them came on the offensive glass.
Not only was he helping Atlanta gain an advantage in potentially the most crucial aspect of the game, he was doing so on the most difficult end.
It wasn't long after that initial spark that the Hawks got out and running. They quickly turned a close battle into a beatdown. They led by 13 after the first quarter, and went up 25 by halftime. What was once a dogfight had developed into domination, and a lot of it can be attested to Daniels.
He remained full of energy the entire night, continuing his strong early season
The reason Daniels is able to make such an impact on both ends of the floor is that he never seems to run out of energy.
When lead ball-handlers and point-of-attack defenders on the opposite side begin to wear out, Atlanta's defensive ace and hidden offensive weapon shines.
His excellence on the glass never lets up. His playmaking, defensive pressure and ability to get to the rim don't either. Atlanta is lucky to roster such an impressive player on both ends of the floor.
He was vital to their success last time out, and should provide a similar impact in the next one.
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