Dyson Daniels rewrites Atlanta Hawks record books with absurd display

Australian NBA star Dyson Daniels has sent America into meltdown after etching his name into the record books on Tuesday.

Dyson Daniels is the real deal.

The 21-year-old has taken the NBA by storm with his defensive prowess thrusting him into the conversation of being a defensive player of the year.

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On Tuesday he only further enhanced his standing in the game by delivering a record-breaking display against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Atlanta guard, who has been aptly nicknamed ‘The Great Barrier Thief’, was at his pick-pocketing best as he produced a career-high eight steals as the Hawks secured the 117-104 win.

Watch Dyson Daniels’ historic outing in the video player above

Daniels finished the contest with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks to go along with the steals.

The eight steals are the most seen in an NBA game since 2021 (Paul George), but his feat sees him enter the Hawks record books becoming the only player in franchise history to register eight steals and two blocks in a game.

Dyson has taken the NBA by storm. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

After joining the Hawks ahead of the 2024/25 season, Daniels had a goal of making the NBA’s first team All-Defense, Atlanta Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins said there should be no doubt he has earned that honour.

“He should be there. It’s not even a question,” Wilkins said of Daniels.

“This guy brings it every night.”

Through Atlanta’s first 30 games of the season, in which Daniels has played 28, the Aussie has a staggering 89 steals. The player with the second most has 56.

Dyson Daniels making defensive plays at a historic rate. Eight more steals, two blocks tonight. His 4.1 STL% would be highest for a 30MPG player since the 80s. Throw in 2+ BLK% and its just DD and Pippen.

— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) December 24, 2024

Most steals in a game this season:

8 — Dyson Daniels
7 — Dyson Daniels
6 — Dyson Daniels
6 — Dyson Daniels
6 — Dyson Daniels
6 — Dyson Daniels pic.twitter.com/7ObswF17wV

— StatMamba (@StatMamba) December 24, 2024

Daniels, who received his Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month Award before Tuesday’s game, was given the tough defensive assignment of guarding one of the league’s most dynamic scorers in Anthony Edwards.

But Edwards struggled to score against Daniels all night, finishing the game with 16 points on 7-for-20 from the field while committing five turnovers.

Edwards got one up on him early, using his speed to get by Daniels with an extra step off the screen and lay it in.

Daniels then got the better of Edwards with his first steal of the night early in the opening quarter, although the Hawks guard was initially called for a foul on the play.

But Daniels showed off his basketball IQ in hilarious fashion when he went down to tie up his shoelaces directly in the path of Edwards as he lined up to attempt his free throws.

It gave Hawks coach Quin Snyder additional time to watch replays before deciding to fire off his coach’s challenge just a few minutes into the game.

While it was risky to use the challenge that early in the game, Snyder clearly understood keeping Daniels out of foul trouble was a key to Atlanta’s chances of winning and the challenge was later ruled to be successful.

Dyson put the clamps on Ant. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Wilkins said in commentary that Daniels was “all over” Edwards early, with the Australian fighting through screens from Minnesota big man Rudy Gobert and disrupting passing lanes to make life hard for the Timberwolves guard.

The Hawks jumped out to an early 14-4 lead as Daniels recorded his second steal of the game, this time sneaking up behind Julius Randle and picking his pocket before driving to the rim and drawing the foul.

Daniels was at it again minutes later when he blocked Randle after he came down with an offensive rebound, with the Australian guard then pushing it up the court and finding Clint Capela for what should have been a dunk if the Atlanta center hadn’t missed the shot.

It was a rare missed opportunity from the Hawks, who went ahead 21-9 after a Daniels triple as Atlanta only built its lead despite having Trae Young and Jalen Johnson on the bench for three minutes in the quarter.

The Aussie and the Hawks got the job done. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP

The Hawks finished the first half ahead 35-19 off 12 points from Young while Daniels chipped in six points and two rebounds.

Edwards, meanwhile, was held to 3-for-9 from the floor as Randle struggled with zero points and three turnovers, although he had four rebounds and four assists.

It was Minnesota’s bench that provided some spark, with Naz Reid responsible for all of its 10 points in the final two minutes, scoring seven and assisting on the other three.

Just as it looked like the Hawks were on track for a comfortable win, a sluggish and turnover-prone second quarter invited the Timberwolves right back into the game.

The Hawks led by as many as 19 points in the first half but went into halftime trailing by three after going 5-for-20 from the field in the second quarter and turning the ball over five times.

Dyson rewrote Atlanta’s record books with an absurd outing. Elsa/Getty Images/AFP

Turnovers continued to be an issue for Atlanta in the third too but some timely triples from Garrison Matthews, who was 7-for-8 from deep in the win, helped the Hawks keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Daniels, meanwhile, was still the same menace on the defensive end and that was helping generate open looks on the other end.

First, the Australian forced a miss from the Timberwolves while guarding Edwards at one point in the third quarter before then finding Hunter for the bucket on the next possession.

Later in the fourth, a steal from Daniels then generated a fast break dunk for Johnson.

Minnesota took a 85-82 lead into the fourth quarter but Atlanta had the final say in the period as Matthew found Johnson at the buzzer with a long outlet pass.

Outside shooting was the difference as the Hawks made six triples in the fourth to claim what was in the end a relatively comfortable 117-104 win to snap a three-game losing skid.

Young led the way for the Hawks with 29 points while Matthews had 25 points off the bench.

- with Andrew Jackson, foxsports.com.au

Originally published as Dyson Daniels rewrites Atlanta Hawks record books with absurd display