Daniel Gafford was excellent in his 21 minutes in Friday's 109-108 win over Minnesota, amassing 16 points (8-of-10 FGs, 0-of-2 FTs), five rebounds, and five blocked shots.
Analysis: Like Game 1, Gafford played fewer minutes than backup Dereck Lively II on Friday. However, that didn't prevent him from having an impact, especially defensively. Gafford blocked five shots while also shooting 80% from the field, excellently finishing around the basket in the two-man game. As for Lively, he played 27 minutes in Game 2, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. The rookie did not miss a shot, going 6-of-6 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line. Dallas' big man tag team will look to keep the momentum rolling when they host Game 3 on Sunday.
Daniel Gafford (hand) scores 13 points Thursday
Daniel Gafford (right hand) shot 4-of-6 from the field and 5-of-9 from the foul line in Thursday's Game 2 win over Dallas, scoring 13 points with seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one blocked shot in 27 minutes.
Analysis: Despite injuring his right hand during the second quarter, Gafford played 27 minutes as the starting center and was one of five Mavericks to reach double figures. He did spend some time in the locker room before halftime, but the veteran pivot still shouldered his usual workload. There's a quick turnaround for Game 3, which will be played on Saturday afternoon in Dallas. Should Gafford's hand become more problematic, Dereck Lively II would take on added responsibility. The rookie played 20 minutes off the bench in Game 2, finishing with two points (1-of-7 FGs), four rebounds, one assist, and one blocked shot.
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