Dyson Daniels’ goal prior to this season was to be named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team.
Now, with the end of the regular season less than two months away, Daniels — a 6-foot-7 wing for the Atlanta Hawks — has amended his goal.
“Now it’s to be Defensive Player of the Year,” Daniels said this week. “It’s a possibility.”
Indeed, Daniels averages 3.1 steals per game, leading the NBA by a wide margin.
On Wednesday, Daniels will lead Atlanta’s defense in a rematch against the host Miami Heat.
Daniels had seven steals on Monday as the host Hawks shut down the Heat 98-86.
“Defense is a rhythm thing,” the 21-year-old native of Australia said. “As the game goes on, you understand what guys like to do, and you start to read what move they’re going to make.”
Daniels and his teammates hounded Heat All-Star Tyler Herro into 4-for-19 shooting, including 0-for-9 on 3-pointers, and four turnovers. After scoring 40 points in his previous game, Herro was held to 11.
Ironically, Atlanta’s defense hadn’t been very good lately. For the season, the Hawks rank 27th in the NBA, allowing 119.0 points per game.
In addition, prior to Miami, the Hawks had lost three straight games, allowing 148, 114 and 149 points.
Hawks star Trae Young is averaging 24.0 points per game and leads the NBA in assists (11.5) to steer the Hawks’ eighth-ranked scoring offense, which scores 116.7 ppg.
The Heat trapped Young a good amount on Monday, holding him to 11 points. But Young was able to beat that strategy with a game-high 14 assists, and it will be interesting to see if Miami tries that again.
“We owe them one,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said of the Hawks. “We go back home and play them again. We’re going to come ready to rock.”
The Heat are tied for 24th on offense with 109.7 points per game but rank seventh defensively (110.7).
Overall, the Heat have lost six of their past seven games, and their only win in that span was an overtime victory over Toronto.
Herro leads the Heat in scoring (24.0) and assists (5.6). Adebayo, who is averaging 16.9 points, leads the club in rebounds (10.0) and steals (1.2).
But the team has struggled to cope with the Jimmy Butler saga, which started with multiple suspensions.
Now, in the aftermath of his trade to Golden State, the Heat are still trying to figure out how new starters Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell fit in with Herro, Adebayo and rookie 7-footer Kel’el Ware.
Mitchell is a tough defender at guard, but he is averaging just 6.6 points this season between Toronto and Miami. Ware has shown flashes, but he has just 41 games of NBA experience, including 15 starts.
Wiggins, 30, is averaging 17.6 points this season. He was the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 2015, and he won an NBA title with the Warriors seven years later.
With Miami, Wiggins has a 1-4 record so far, but he has scored at least 20 points in his three most recent games.
Also, Nikola Jovic was diagnosed Tuesday with a fractured right hand and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. He injured the hand during Sunday’s 120-113 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Wednesday’s game is vital in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Eighth-place Atlanta (27-31) is just two percentage points ahead of ninth-place Miami (26-30).
