The Dallas Mavericks are just days away from kicking off their first-round series in the 2024 NBA Playoff versus the Los Angeles Clippers. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are both expected to carry the biggest loads for the Mavs, but their supporting cast could be just as important in Dallas’ quest to eliminate the Clippers and go on a deep postseason run.
Daniel Gafford Could be the Dallas Mavericks’ Secret Weapon Versus the Clippers
Gafford’s addition to the Mavs since they acquired him before the trade deadline has been a big help for them. He doesn’t need the ball to be in his hands a lot of time to make a significant positive impact on Dallas, but Gafford is a fantastic lob threat and always willing to do the dirty jobs that Doncic and Irving don’t necessarily cover, like getting offensive rebounds and scoring putbacks. No wonder Gafford has somehow turned into a Wilt Chamberlain clone — sort of.
The Mavs and the Clippers met three times this season already but the last one was back in December, which means Los Angeles has yet to face a Dallas team with Gafford running alongside Doncic.
Overall in the 2023-24 NBA regular season, Gafford has averaged 11.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2.1 blocks while shooting 72.5 percent from the floor. His shooting percentage was that high in large part because of his shot selection . He’s always there for alley-oop finishes and second-chance points around the basket. Since making his NBA debut in 2019 with the Chicago Bulls, Gafford has taken just one attempt from behind the arc, and that was back in the 2021-22 campaign when he was still with the Washington Wizards.
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