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Dyson Daniels Playing Through No-Calls In The Clutch

The NBA's Last-2 Minute referee report has done Dyson Daniels no favors but he has still found ways to help the New Orleans Pelicans.

The NBA's Last-2 Minute report did Dyson Daniels no favors but he still found a way to help the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Oklahoma City Thunder. The NBA's official post-game referee report noted two separate instances where Daniels was fouled but did not get the call.

Daniels (8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) filled the stat sheet even without those extra trips to the foul line. He was also in all the right spots defensively down the stretch. His extra effort made things easier on a shorthanded team and helped Herb Jones get credit for sealing the win.

Daniels had a good line on contesting the rebound for Zion Williamson's three-point miss with 9 seconds left but was fouled. A strong nudge from behind by Lu Dort sent him sprawling to the floor. No whistle. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was sprinting down for a shot to steal a win in the Smoothie King Center.

The play should have stopped for a loose ball foul. No complaints from the 8th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Daniels hustled back and sealed off SGA's escape route, leading right into Herb Jones. Jones was in a position to get the charge call.

The Last 2 Minute report says that was an incorrect call as well. One ref called a charge, the other had it down as a block. “That’s how close the play was,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault in the post-game press conference. “I don’t really know to be honest with you. I trust that they got it right." 

He added, "I thought it was more team defense... but Jones is a really good defender.”

Gilgeous-Alexander thought it was a block but the two non-whistles worked out in favor of the Pelicans. No one in New Orleans wants to pick apart a win secured without Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr., and Naji Marshall taking the court.

But don't discount how much the hustle and length of Dyson Daniels helped on that play. The effort and talent are hard to miss. His team-first defensive approach is just one reason Willie Green's squad sits at 2nd in steals per game, 5th in Defensive Rating, 6th in Opponent Turnover Rate, and 5th in Points Off Turnovers.

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Daniels was constantly popping up in big plays down the stretch. He was also the victim of another no-call with 34 seconds left on the clock. The Australian was sitting in the passing lane, got the deflection, and was fouled in the corner but there was no whistle. Instead, a jump ball situation was called. 

But watching the play again, Daniels was actually hedging towards the free-throw line to cut off that action. His length and quickness meant his man on the perimeter was not really an option either. Then, once Gilgeous-Alexander has gotten bottled up in the paint, Daniels jumps behind two players to snatch the steal.

The team's most recent lottery pick is averaging 5.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. Daniels has seen a slight uptick in minutes with McCollum missing time but he should hold steady around 20 minutes per game for the rest of the season. 

He has logged at least 16 minutes in all but 3 contests and could be in line for 25-28 minutes per night if the Pelicans pull off a trade in the coming months. New Orleans is on a 6-2 run with Daniels getting at least 17 minutes and has only lost once (5-1) when he saw 20 minutes of action.

Green has said he must see defense before anyone gets on the court as a meaningful contributor. Well, Daniels is starting to prove himself in clutch moments, not just mop-up duty. Opportunities should not be a problem going forward. Now the challenge is finding out how many minutes Daniels can handle before the playoffs start.

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