Great Barrier Thief: Dyson Daniels emerges as key to unlocking Atlanta Hawks' NBA playoff hopes

Daniels is still the primary defender on the opposition’s point of attack most nights, but the addition of the rangy Alexander-Walker has tempered his defensive workload. Though he is still second in the league for steals, his rate has dropped from three per game to an average of two.

Daniels’ three-point shooting accuracy has also sagged from last year’s moderate 34%, to 19% this year. Two months ago, he had more air-balls than makes from outside the arc.

Those raw numbers belie his steady all-round development, however. He has become a lethal transition player, thanks to his speed, rebounding and inside finishing, and his half-court smarts give the Hawks a flow they otherwise lack. His two-point field goal percentage is 58% – higher than snipers such as Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard – thanks to a large volume of finishes at the rim.

Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels dunks during an NBA game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Photograph: Sue Ogrocki/AP

Daniels may not have the touch of the league’s finesse shooters, but he has found a way to contribute on offence to complement his defensive strengths. Measuring the Australian’s contribution by his impact on the scoreboard when he is on the floor compared to when he is off it, he – alongside veteran guard CJ McCollum – is the Hawks’ most important player, according to advanced stats site Cleaning the Glass.

The New York Post recognised Daniels’ influence this week when covering the challenge he will pose for the Knicks’ floor general and leading scorer, Brunson, describing him as a “defensive stopper”. No player has guarded Brunson more in the past two seasons than Daniels.

“He’s a great defender,” Brunson says. “He’s very smart and he’s able to use his wingspan and create havoc on and off the ball. He does a lot of great things for their team and puts them in position to be successful.”

Daniels’ Boomers teammate at the Hawks, centre Jock Landale, is set to miss the first round series with an ankle injury. Josh Giddey’s Chicago Bulls missed the post-season, and Josh Green is only playing small minutes for the suddenly-hot Chicago Hornets, a situation similar for Matisse Thybulle in Portland. Other Australians are on playoff teams, like Joe Ingles in Minnesota, and Tyrese Proctor in Cleveland, but look to be outside the playoff rotation.

It leaves the Bendigo-born guard as the main Australian attraction in the post-season. Daniels’ father Ricky, brother Dash – who played in the NBL last season – and extended family will be there in New York, alongside a strong expat contingent in the Big Apple. “Hopefully I don’t get too many requests in New York for tickets,” Daniels joked. “But yeah, this is a fun time of the year.”