The return to Chicago went wonderfully for Daniel Gafford. The Mavs pivot really hurt the franchise that drafted him in 2019. With 20 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in 23 minutes of play, the former Wizards player largely contributed to Dallas' success. Gafford is especially to be credited with another perfect shooting evening with a 9/9, his fourth consecutive match without missing a single shot!
The Mavericks' winter recruit remains on 28/28 shooting, the best series since the 1996-1997 season, the start of action-by-action statistics being taken into account in the NBA. With his 22 shots in a row under the colors of the Pelicans at the start of 2020, Derrick Favors is largely outdated. Gafford is now heading towards a historic record, that of Wilt Chamberlain, author of a 35/35 spanning four matches during the 1966-1967 season. He only needs seven successes without the slightest failure, a performance he has achieved three times in his last four outings.
An obvious relationship with Luka Doncic
Against the Bulls, Daniel Gafford did not go out of his way, his nine successes all taking place at the circle, for a dunk or a lay-up. As reported by CBS, 12 of the pivot's 28 successes over the period were dunks, 26 taking place in the restrictive zone, inside the arc under the circle. “ My philosophy is just to be consistent » explained Gafford after the match on Monday. “ My mindset is that I want to finish all my actions, regardless of whether a defender is on me or not. In the end, I'm going to dunk or go for a lay-up. » An effective mantra as possible, against the Bulls who were totally overwhelmed near the circle. In Gafford's relay, Derek Lively II also had an almost ideal match: 22 points at 11/12 on shots!
The two Texan “big men” delighted in the work of Luka Doncic, once again in a triple-double and irresistible in creation with his 14 assists, including four for Gafford and seven for Lively. With his two sidekicks to accompany him on pick and roll, the Slovenian is all the more dangerous, both to free himself thanks to his screens and to create easy points. “ You can only say a prayer » Gafford rejoiced at the idea of how to stop this relationship with Doncic. “ It already happened like that every time I played against him. Now that I play with him, I understand why it was so difficult to stop him. »
Five wins in five starts in Dallas
Arriving at the trade deadline, Gafford is fully flourishing in his new environment, with averages close to those he had at the Wizards… yet playing eight minutes less. Well in his role, the pivot is more selective in his shots (87% under the hoop), therefore even more effective, he who was already the most skillful player in the league this season. “ It's like I'm already part of the mold. I feel like I brought everything I needed to bring. »
In the starting five on Monday despite Lively's return from injury, Daniel Gafford won his fifth game in five starts with the Mavericks (15 points at 80.5%, 9.6 rebounds, 2.6 blocks in these victories). Before a sixth and a possible record Wednesday against the Warriors, one of the least comfortable and least big teams to defend in the paint.
| Daniel Gafford | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2019-20 | CHI | 43 | 14 | 70.1 | 0.0 | 53.3 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 5.1 |
| 2020-21 * | All Teams | 54 | 15 | 68.4 | 0.0 | 66.7 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 7.0 |
| 2020-21 * | CHI | 31 | 12 | 69.0 | 0.0 | 65.9 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 4.7 |
| 2020-21 * | W.A.S. | 23 | 18 | 68.1 | 0.0 | 67.2 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 5.6 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 10.1 |
| 2021-22 | W.A.S. | 72 | 20 | 69.3 | 0.0 | 69.9 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 5.7 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 9.4 |
| 2022-23 | W.A.S. | 78 | 21 | 73.2 | 0.0 | 67.9 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 9.0 |
| 2023-24 * | All Teams | 57 | 25 | 69.9 | 0.0 | 69.6 | 2.8 | 5.0 | 7.8 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 10.7 |
| 2023-24 * | W.A.S. | 45 | 27 | 69.0 | 0.0 | 70.6 | 2.9 | 5.1 | 8.0 | 1.5 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 10.9 |
| 2023-24 * | DAL | 12 | 18 | 73.5 | 0.0 | 65.5 | 2.3 | 4.8 | 7.1 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 9.9 |
| Total | 304 | 19 | 70.4 | 0.0 | 67.2 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 5.3 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 8.5 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
