Marquis Daniels scored 18 points to go along with seven boards and three assists Wednesday, leading the Pacers to a victory over the 76ers. Is it just me, or does it seem like he goes off every time he gets big minutes? And, personally, I’m a big fan of his length, athleticism and defense. He’s the perfect sixth man for this team and Obie‘s system, and I truly hope he starts getting at least 30 minutes a night.
Right now Daniels is only getting 19.2 minutes a game, but look at his per 40 minutes stats (Hollinger stats, not sure if this includes tonight or not):
"19.1 ppg 5.3 rpg 4.5 apg"
Plus, Daniels’ Roland Rating (a great stat brought to you by 82 Games) is third best on the team out of players who receive valuable minutes. His opponent’s production average (12.0) leads the entire team, vouching for his defense. His net plus-minus rating is basically a wash, but I have a feeling that’s due to sporadic playing time on a team barely over the .500 mark.
After watching Daniels closely all season, I think he has to start getting this kind of burn every night. If that happens he will surely be a Sixth Man of the Year contender, and the Pacers will end up making some noise. Go, Quis, go!