Former Wizard Is Key To Title For Team Out West

Tyrone Montgomery | May 3, 2024

May 1, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) dunks the / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

One of the hardest things in life is to move on from something valuable. That could be that nice reliable Honda Civic that you may have had for years. It could also be that storage unit that you used to store all of your tools that you may have used on a regular basis to avoid cluttering your garage. Maybe it's that laptop that had a lot of speed and storage that got you through college.

Whatever it may have been, moving on from it couldn't be the easiest thing in the world to do because it was something you depended on and felt was reliable. The Washington Wizards may feel that way about former Wizard Daniel Gafford who was a serviceable big man for them over the years. He is now spending his days in Dallas playing alongside Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the Mavericks.

The Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of advancing to the second round of the playoffs. They are just one win shy of doing so. No doubt, the LA Clippers have been missing their star Kawhi Leonard in the midst of the first round. However, we have to give a lot of credit to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving throughout this playoff series as they have been carrying the team offensively.

The Mavs are a team that could make a run at the NBA Finals. This could be the year the NBA and the world finally get what they have been wanting all of these years - Luka Doncic on the big stage in the Finals. There's only one problem that may exist that could hinder the Mavs from getting there - relying on Luka and Kyrie a bit too much.

In the NBA, especially in the playoffs, guys are going to have off nights from time to time. A third star is needed on a daily basis in this league. There happens to be a void there for the Mavericks. Former Wizard Daniel Gafford is a player that we all need to keep an eye on for this team.

Early on in Gafford's tenure with the Mavs, he became a scoring threat when he made 23 straight shots in consecutive games. That assistance by him on the offensive end of the floor certainly alleviated some of the pressure from Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. If he can bring that offensive energy night in and night out for the Mavs throughout the rest of the playoffs, that could change everything for this team as they are hoping to make the NBA Finals.