Atlanta's Win Over Brooklyn Proved How Valuable Dyson Daniels is to This Team

Yesterday, the Atlanta Hawks won their eighth straight game and their fourth straight game against the Brooklyn Nets this season. While they did get a double-digit home win, the Hawks didn't look as dominant as they should have, and it was blatantly obvious from the start why.

Before the game started, it was announced that the NBA's Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels was going to be out due to a left toe sprain. Starting in place of Daniels was Corey Kispert, and you could see for most of the game that Kispert was out of sync along with the Hawks' offense and defense.

Daniels Value

Feb 11, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) back on defense against Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during first quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Last night, for much of the game, the Hawks struggled on defense, particularly on the perimeter, giving up open three-pointers while playing zone. On offense, you could see that Atlanta wasn't the same in terms of the ball movement and efficiency that they usually play with when Daniels is in the lineup.

In terms of the offense, while Atlanta led for the majority of this game, you could see that they struggled with creating offense on their own. Specifically, the Hawks offense mainly came off the Nets turning the ball over and when it didn't happen, Brooklyn was able to take the lead in the second half.

On average, the Hawks lead the NBA in assists with 30.3, with Daniels averaging six assists per game, and Atlanta finishing yesterday with 22. In terms of field goal percentage, with Daniels, Atlanta is at 47.5%, and yesterday that dropped eight percent to 39% without him on the floor against a top-five-worst NBA defense in Brooklyn.

In the two games that Daniels played against Brooklyn this season, the Hawks shot 47.8% from the field, 39.4% from three-point range, and averaged 30.5 assists.

On the defensive end, however, it is where the Hawks use and miss Daniels the most. Last night, Brooklyn's forward Josh Minott scored a career high 24 points with four three-pointers made and found clear openings through Atlanta's zone. The Nets have the NBA's worst offense, but shot 47% from the field and 34% from three-point range.

With Daniels on the court, the Hawks play a much more controlled style of basketball, especially on the defensive end. Against Brooklyn this season, Daniels has averaged three steals per game to go along with a 107.2 defensive rating against Brooklyn.

In a game where things got tough until the fourth quarter, it was obvious that Daniels' impact on the team in terms of playmaking and defending in key moments was certainly needed.