The Atlanta Hawks went back on the road Monday night, where they fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-138.
After falling to a division rival just 48 hours earlier, the Hawks were looking to regain momentum against a tough Western Conference opponent. It was going to be no simple task. Despite some recent struggles, Minnesota still has one of the league’s more intimidating rosters.
It’s difficult for a team to struggle too much when they have Anthony Edwards on their roster. Averaging a career-high 29.6 points per game, he’s been on an absolute tear, keeping the Timberwolves afloat in the conference standings.
Usually, Atlanta has a guy readily available to make life difficult for Edwards. Dyson Daniels, the fourth-year guard in his second season with the Hawks, has carved out a role as one of the league’s most elite perimeter defenders.
Not that anyone in the NBA can put Edwards to a complete stop, but if someone were to slow him down, it would be The Great Barrier Thief.
Listed as questionable the day prior, Hawks fans were holding on to hope that he would be upgraded in the next injury report. Much to their dismay, hours before tip-off, the Hawks had ruled Daniels out with an ankle injury.
Taking on the Timberwolves was already going to be tough, but now, having to face them without their best defensive player, it was obvious that the Hawks were going to be in for a long night.
The Hawks needed Daniels Monday night. Plain and simple.
It only took one quarter for his presence to be deeply missed. While Atlanta’s offense was doing about as good a job keeping up with Minnesota’s balanced attack as they could, it simply became too much to handle as the game progressed.
In the first quarter alone, Edwards recorded 13 points, helping his team get out to an early lead. They never lost this lead, largely due to the veteran guard's dominance.
With Atlanta missing their top two playmakers, Nickeil became far too important offensively in his homecoming game to truly lock in on the other end. In each of the first two quarters, Minnesota recorded at least 40 points. It was pure domination for most of the night.
The Hawks tried to spark a comeback in the late-third/early-fourth, but it was never enough, and the Timberwolves came away with a much-needed, decisive victory.
It’s as clear as ever that Atlanta needs Dyson Daniels. Yes, his low percentage from three point range makes him an offensive liability at times, but his impact is far too evident for the slander he receives.
At just 22 years old, Daniels has more than enough time to blossom into a solid outside shooter. For now, he’s one of the best defensive players in the world, certainly deserving of his flowers.