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DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks earned a 119-110 Game 2 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. It was a crucial win for the Mavs to say the least. During the game, however, Daniel Gafford suffered a finger injury. He dislocated his pinky finger on a blocked shot attempt.
“Blocked the shot, hand got a bad angle, popped the pinky out of place,” Gafford said on Friday.
Gafford exited the game, but returned for the second-half. He also provided an injury update on Friday.
“It’s perfectly fine,” Gafford said. “I haven’t been through worse… but I’ve had a bit of a worse dislocation when it came to my thumb my first year. It was an open dislocation. I’ve had my fair share of hand injuries in my years in the league.”
Gafford, despite missing a few minutes on Thursday due to the injury, performed well. He finished the game with 13 points on 4-6 shooting from the field. Gafford got to the free throw line at a high rate as well , shooting nine total free throw attempts. He added seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in the victory.
The Mavericks utilized a team effort to defeat the Thunder in Game 2. Luka Doncic and PJ Washington led the way with 29 points each. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 17 points while Josh Green scored 11. Gafford addressed the importance of players such as Hardaway and Green making an impact.
“I mean, it’s big,” Gafford said. “At the end of the day, it shows that everybody can go, it shows our depth, it shows that everybody comes in locked in ready to play… When it comes to us making plays out of the pocket or finishing around the basket it really just opens up the floor.”
Daniel Gafford’s message after Mavericks’ Game 2 victory
Dallas was defeated by Oklahoma City in Game 1 117-95. There was a sense of panic among some fans following the Game 1 defeat. Gafford was asked about the Mavs’ ability to bounce back after losing tough games.
“It just shows that you always have to have faith,” Gafford said. “At the end of the day, faith is like the biggest thing when it comes to life, basketball, whatever you are putting your mind to… Having faith is just something that kind of keeps you afloat in some of the tough times that you have. It gives you the opportunity to just come together as a team.”
The Mavericks also lost Game 1 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers before ultimately winning the series in six games. This Dallas team is resurgent, and they play especially well under pressure.
Game 3 will be pivotal for both teams without question. The Mavs would love to continue building momentum following their Game 2 victory. Earning another win in front of their home fans would provide a big advantage.
Oklahoma City is looking to win at least one game in Dallas to send the series back to Oklahoma with things tied up at two games apiece. Of course, the Thunder would love to win both games in Dallas. At the very least, however, they understand the importance of winning at least one of these two road games.
The Mavericks have stressed the importance of protecting home court throughout the postseason. And that is exactly what they intend to do in Game 3 and Game 4.
More must-reads:
- Watch: Timberwolves' Jaden McDaniels starts Game 1 red-hot from distance
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