Defensive Player of the Year types & 2 other X-factors as Hawks host Grizzlies

At first blush, the Atlanta Hawks do not catch much of a break following their loss to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, visiting Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

Memphis is the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and boasts one of the most dynamic point guards in the NBA, Ja Morant, and former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.

The Hawks might be catching a break in that regard, though.

The Grizzlies had been listing Morant as “doubtful” on the injury report with back soreness, but the guard has been downgraded to “out,” per the team’s PR unit. Memphis also lists Smart as “questionable” with shoulder soreness.

Grizzlies shorthanded on visit to face Hawks

Morant has missed one of the Grizzlies’ last nine outings, a win over the Washington Wizards.

Smart missed their last outing, also a win, but over the Golden State Warriors. The Grizzlies come into Saturday’s matchup having gone 12-3 since their last losing streak of any kind. The Hawks come in losers of two straight and three of their last four outings.

They were on a six-game winning streak before that, though, so perhaps this can be a jumping-off point for getting back on the right foot.

Dyson Daniels knows what he has to do

The Hawks have to be ecstatic with what they have gotten from Dyson Daniels this season, terrific defense punctuated by a league-leading 2.9 steals per game. But he is well aware of the current fatal flaw in his game: shooting.

Daniels is shooting 29.6% from beyond the arc this season. He is a career 30.7% shooter from long distance, and this would be his worst season to date.

It is most surprising considering the steps he seemed to take during the Olympics.

“You don't you don't want to miss short. But if I get more of my misses long rather than left and right, I know that you know I've got the form technique down pat. It's just about repping that out,” Daniels told reporters on December 18.

“It's just about muscle memory, making sure I do that over and over, focus on that every day and not revert back to old habits. So for me, it's just – it's a mental game. It’s a mindset and, making sure that, in the game, shoot when I'm open. And teams are going to give me that shot, so being able to knock that down is going to be a big benefit to my game.”

Daniels has had a striking impact on the Hawks.

Now, if he can start connecting from deep with regularity, the Hawk will really be hard-pressed not to extend him when he becomes eligible.

Trae Young’s injury a friendly reminder

Hawks star Trae Young has turned heads this season with his play. Young’s on-court “transformation,” for lack of a better term, began on the defensive end last season. But he has cut down on his ill-advised shot-taking in favor of more of a table-setting role.

He has always been a preternatural passer. And he still takes some shots his coaches and, certainly, fans wish he would pass on.

But the difference has been noticeable and commented on in NBA circles.

Young popped up on the injury report with his Achilles injury, an ailment with which he missed time but still saw his team fined for a violation of the player participation rules. Fortunately for the Hawks, he attended the team’s shootaround ahead of Saturday’s tilt.

Whether Young plays or not, his aggravating the injury (it is actually a heel contusion) in the loss to the Spurs is a reminder of how tenuous life in the NBA can be.

The Hawks have been ravaged by injuries this season.

Their recent surge in play coincided with improved health. And with the loss of backup center Onyeka Okongwu, who the Hawks are rumored to be ready to promote to full-time starter, out for at least three more games, an injury to Young would be catastrophic,