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Hawks' Dyson Daniels overtakes Magic Johnson to reach historic milestone
Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Dyson Daniels overtakes Magic Johnson to reach historic milestone in Hawks' victory

Trae Young recorded 28 points and 12 assists to lead the Atlanta Hawks past the Philadelphia 76ers, 132-119, on Sunday night. Rookie Zaccharie Risacher added 22 points in the victory, but the spotlight belonged to defensive standout Dyson Daniels.

Daniels, who has been at the center of a historic defensive campaign, reached another milestone with five steals against Philadelphia. The 22-year-old Australian has now eclipsed 200 steals on the season, bringing his total to 202 — far ahead of second-place Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (120). 

His tally marks the most steals in a single season since Chris Paul in 2008-09 and makes him just the third player since 2000-01 to hit the mark, joining Paul (2007-08, 2008-09) and Allen Iverson (2002-03).

According to the NBA, Daniels is now the youngest player in league history to record 200-plus steals in a season, reaching the milestone at 22 years and six days old. The previous youngest was Magic Johnson in 1981-82 at 22 years and 240 days.

The all-time single-season steals record belongs to Alvin Robertson, who tallied 301 in the 1985-86 campaign. Daniels is on pace to surpass Michael Jordan’s 223 steals from 1990-91, which would place him among the top 25 in NBA history.

Daniels wasn't the only Hawk making an impact. Georges Niang delivered 20 points, sinking five three-pointers, while Onyeka Okongwu added 14 points and nine rebounds.

For Philadelphia, Quentin Grimes led the way with 26 points and six assists, while rookie Justin Edwards contributed 22. Ricky Council IV and Guerschon Yabusele added 14 and 11 points, respectively.

Despite Daniels’ defensive brilliance, Atlanta’s offensive efficiency played a key role in the win. The Hawks shot 55.2 percent from the field and knocked down 17 three-pointers. 

Risacher, steadily improving in his rookie season, continued to showcase his shooting form, hitting 3-of-7 from deep. He shot 44 percent from beyond the arc in February and is connecting at a 42.2 percent clip in March on nearly six attempts per game.

The Hawks extended their winning streak to three games, improving to 35-36 and holding the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference — the highest play-in spot. Meanwhile, the 76ers' struggles continued, falling to 23-48 with their fourth straight loss in what has been a challenging, injury-riddled season.

Matt Evans

Matt Evans is a sports journalist from the United Kingdom, now based in Paris, France. He has covered various sports including basketball, soccer, boxing, MMA, and motorsports.  Over the past decade, Matt has focused heavily on the NBA and has worked with many established outlets on a variety of content

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