Former exec offers unexpected take on surging Hawks after win

The Atlanta Hawks are stringing together wins, five of them to be exact.

If they want to make it six – seven, eight, etc. – in a row, they must keep up their recent trend which drew praise from former Brooklyn Nets executive Bobby Marks. Now an analyst for ESPN, Marks has two decades of front office experience.

He has also kept tabs on the Hawks situation in recent years, particularly when it comes to the future of three-time All-Star Trae Young.

However, and perhaps even because of that, Marks praised the Hawks for a different reason.

“Quick hitters on this fun Atlanta team,” Marks posted on X, highlighting a series of eye-opening metrics on December 5. “The one word that I thought would never apply to Atlanta- DEFENSE!!!”

Marks’ list included the caliber of opponents the Hawks have beaten during their streak, their approach in the paint, and “The Dyson Daniels Impact.”

“The Hawks are 14th in defense at Cleaning the Glass today,” “Locked On Hawks host Brad Rowland posted on X on December 5. “Yes, the Atlanta Hawks currently have an above-average NBA defense after 23 games.”

Middling defense may seem like a modest accomplishment.

However, the Hawks ranked 21st and 26th in head coach Quin Snyder’s first two seasons. This would be their best slot since 2016-17, when they finished fourth in defense.

Notably, the Hawks ranked 16th in 2020-21, the same season they went to the Eastern Conference Finals. That is not to say this team is on the same surprising course. But they are following the same formula: length and defense around Young.

‘The Dyson Daniels Impact’ is real

Marks was curious about the Hawks’ starting 2-guard spot before the season.

“Who starts next to Trae Young?” Marks wrote on September 30. “Atlanta made it a priority to split up the Young and Dejounte Murray backcourt this offseason, picking up two first-round picks from New Orleans and a package of players including Dyson Daniels, who started 16 games last season and gives Atlanta more of a defensive presence.

“The other option is for Atlanta to start Bogdan Bogdanovic, who started 33 games and finished fifth in voting for NBA Sixth Man of the Year last season.”

Notably, Bogdanovic spoke to impact Daniels – who earned Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month honors for November – has had following the Hawks’ win over the Milwaukee Bucks, which ran Atlanta’s streak to five games. 

Bogdanovic had 5 steals versus the Bucks and says Daniels’ defensive mindset is contagious.

“Huge inspiration,” Bogdanovic told FanDuel Sports Network’s Tabitha Turner-Wilkins on December 4. “Shout out Dyson Daniels.”

“S/o Vousetti,” Bogdanovic posted on X after the game.