- Australian Boomer was traded to Atlanta
- Has been a defensive powerhouse this season
- NBA fans are taking notice, giving him an epic nickname
Dyson Daniels has continued his scoring surge with 25 points, equalling an impressive Michael Jordan streak as he helped Atlanta beat Washington 129-117 in the NBA Cup.
Coming off a career-high 28 points in Tuesday night's 117-116 win at defending NBA champions Boston, Daniels made 10 of 14 shots from the field and paced the Wizards' defence with six steals.
The Australian, recruited by New Orleans with pick No.8 in the 2022 draft, has gone from strength to strength in his first season with the Hawks.
Daniels is averaging a league-best 3.8 steals per game, with Washington's Jordan Poole next on that table.
The Bendigo product has now tallied 15-plus points and five-plus steals in four consecutive NBA games.
No other NBA player has achieved that feat since Jordan in the 1989-90 season.
Australian star Dyson Daniels has earned the nickname the 'Great Barrier Thief'
Daniels has achieved a defensive feat not achieved since Michael Jordan back in 1990
It is serious form that has NBA experts on notice.
'Dyson Daniels has 28 steals in his last five games. Nobody else in the NBA has more than 25 steals for the entire season,' The Athletic's John Hollinger said.
'Dyson Daniels is the fourth player in NBA history have 15+ points and 5+ steals in four-straight games and the first since Michael Jordan (1990),'
aspiring sportscaster Kevin Keneely posted.
'Dyson Daniels is on pace to have over 600 deflections this season. The NBA record is 302,' host of Instagram page Hawks Scoop Zach Langley added.
And announcers have given the Aussie a new nickname out of respect for his incredible start to the 2024/25 season, dubbing him the 'Great Barrier Thief'.
'Dyson "The Great Barrier Thief" Daniels is an incredible hoop nickname,' one fan posted.
'The Great Barrier Thief makes another heist,' added another.
His club has added to that, also declaring their Aussie star to be the 'Man of Steal' and 'Plunder from Down Under'.
Kyle Kuzma led Washington with 24 points, Poole had 22 and rookie Alex Sarr added a career-high 20 points.
Despite the trio's scoring leadership, the Wizards' NBA Cup opener was their seventh consecutive loss.
Ben Simmons had a tough night for the Nets who coughed up a 40 point lead to lose by two
Meanwhile, Australians Josh Giddey and Ben Simmons both had quiet games while their sides suffered contrasting defeats on Saturday (AEDT).
Brooklyn lost 124-122 to the New York Knicks despite scoring 40 points in a dramatic final-quarter comeback.
Simmons had seven rebounds, five assists and four points for the Nets.
Jalen Brunson made a go-ahead three-pointer for the Knicks with 6.2 seconds left after his team had blown a 21-point lead.
