NBA defensive player of the month Dyson Daniels has turned on another shutdown masterclass as the Atlanta Hawks knocked off the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-104.
Daniels had eight steals to go with 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks as the young Australian continued an outstanding first season for Atlanta.
Garrison Mathews made a career-best seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 25 points off the bench and star guard Trae Young had 29 points as the Hawks snapped a three-game losing run.
Naz Reid scored 23 off the bench for the Timberwolves, who have lost three straight.
Superstar Anthony Edwards was limited to 16 points and committed five turnovers after being guarded by Daniels for most of the night.
Tristan da Silva has scored 18 points and made a critical three-pointer with 9.9 seconds left, and Orlando rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit for a 108-104 victory over Boston, who were missing Jayson Tatum because of an illness.
With Tatum sidelined two nights after his 43-point triple-double in a win at Chicago, Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 35 points in a clash between second and fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Trevelin Queen added 17 points in his first NBA start and Jalen Suggs scored 16 for the Magic (19-12), while Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White each scored 17 for Boston.
Orlando centre Goga Bitadze was ejected with 3:36 left for stepping into an altercation between Suggs and Porzingis, both of whom drew technical fouls.
Joel Embiid was also ejected in Philadelphia’s 111-106 home win over San Antonio.
Tyrese Maxey top-scored for the Sixers with 32 points and made two crucial plays in the final minute.
Embiid was thrown out by referee Jenna Schroeder with 2:59 left in the second quarter. The seven-time All-Star received the first technical for arguing with Schroeder, and got another technical – and ejection – from Schroeder before any more game time elapsed.
Victor Wembanyama had 26 points, nine rebounds and eight blocks for the Spurs.
Australian Ben Simmons had a game equal-high nine asists but scored only four points as his Brooklyn Nets were beaten 110-95 by the Miami Heat.
Bam Adebayo top-scored with 23 points for the Heat.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander overcame a slow start to score 41 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder powered to a 123-105 home win over the Washington Wizards.
The Thunder extended their regular-season winning streak to eight, their longest successful run since January 2018.
– with AP
https://thewest.com.au/sport/basketball/dyson-daniels-plays-key-role-in-hawks-nba-win-c-17186050
