Dyson Daniels is having another phenomenal defensive season.
The Hawks' front office is looking absolutely stellar, with the dynamic defensive duo of Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker truly being a force to be reckoned with when guarding star opposing guards.
Despite how elite Daniels' defense has been, however, he's falling short in one key category yet again. To absolutely nobody's surprise, it's his shooting. Shockingly, however, Daniels is faring nearly fine at home – his 24.0% conversion rate on such looks in State Farm Arena is far from ideal, but it's also not beyond repair.
If Hawks fans have been paying attention, however, this 24.0% average is far from his overall seasonal truth – in fact, he's only converting on 12.7% of his deep looks when factoring in road games. With that in mind, just how bad exactly is Daniels' shot when flying out of Atlanta?
Is Dyson Daniels leaving his shot behind at Delta baggage claim?
While Hawks fans continue to reap the benefits of Delta Airlines' Atlanta-based headquarters and partnership with the Hawks through in-game and in-flight upgrades and rewards, Dyson Daniels might not share the same sentiment this year.
In an utterly unbelievable metric, Dyson has converted on just one three pointer on the road this season. One. Three. Pointer.
Having attempted 30 of such shots on the road this year, Daniels' road 3.3% conversion rate from deep is likely worse than bringing a fan down from the nosebleeds, placing a ball in their hands, and asking them to cash in on up to 30 3-pointers of their own.
It's undeniable at this point that something must change on the road for the young star. Whether it's getting in an hour more of shootaround time before the game starts, getting an extra hour of sleep on his flight, or whatever remedy his teammates might throw his way, Daniels should be seeking help wherever he can find it.
At some point, the speculation as to whether or not Dyson's shooting problem is truly physical or mental is worthy of pointing out. He's shown that he's capable of shooting the ball at an average clip in the past, but his confidence is no doubt shaken - Daniels' dismal overall 12.7% conversion rate has plummeted in December, at a mere 7.7% in the holiday season.
While missing all but 1 of his 30 long-range road shots isn't the end of the world, it's certainly something to monitor as the season rolls on for the Hawks. If this troubling trend can't reverse polarity soon, look for Coach Snyder to ask Daniels to focus more on his interior game sooner rather than later – at least in arenas outside of Atlanta.