Film Study: Daniel Gafford Shows Major Value In Dallas Mavs Debut

Film Study: Daniel Gafford Shows Major Value In Dallas Mavs Debut

Daniel Gafford made an impressive debut with the Dallas Mavericks in their blowout victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder he totaled 19 points nine rebounds and one block in 17 minutes off the bench I’m going to get into all of his contributions and some of the things

That also didn’t show in the box score that he provided defensively let’s get into it on this first play LCA donic receives the ball at a post-up position his catch extends out to the three-point line and as he’s surveying the defense he’s waiting for Daniel gaffer to fill

The weak side dunker spot and the low Defenders signals to gafford’s man kenri Williams to load up and help now the Thunder are showing help and they’re helping the helper Isaiah Joe the low Defender now has to be responsible for preventing Daniel Gafford from sealing

Him off and if Luca is able to get downhill just enough while Gafford is getting this seal then there’s going to be a perfect lob opportunity and that’s exactly what happens Gafford seals Isaiah Joe on his back in the restricted area makes himself available for the

Pass putting his left hand up and Luca is is able to get close enough to the elbow to Loft this ball up and kenrich Williams is in no man’s land here he’s not in a position to do anything to disrupt the pass either by the passer or

The receiver and this results in a center going up for a lob against a shooting guard and there’s nothing that Isaiah Joe can do this is just a great example of gafford’s motor he gets out on a three-point shooter runs the floor hard Luca makes a throw aead pass and he

Fights for the ball in traffic comes up with it and finishes in transition this time Luca gets blitzed on the ball screen Gafford is available the short roll and he doesn’t end up scoring on this possession but he’s aggressive looks to get into a right-hand finish

The ball rolls out of the rim but good sign that the big man is looking to be aggressive Luca gets into a step back three on this possession with PJ Washington as a screener while this develops Daniel Gafford is focused on getting in a rebounding position this

Ends up being a long Miss after hitting the front of the rim Shay gildas Alexander gets a hand on it and Daniel Gafford makes a great hustle play he’s determined to come up with the ball gains possession and then just gets into a putback and this is a highly

Impressive finish he’s finishing through contact with the defender getting vertical and he’s finishing on the way down with touch after playing up in ball screen coverage against Shay Guild just Alexander PJ Washington forces a turnover the ball finds Luca donic and now the Mavericks have a four-on-one on

The break Luca throws a bounce pass ahead to Josh Green who then throws a behind the back after drawing Lou Dort and this results in a perfect just wide openen dunking opportunity for Daniel Gafford with nobody else in the picture this play is a great example of the

Options that are created by having a another lob threat on the team for Luca donic to be able to utilize they start out of a horn set with Luca and Gafford as the elbow bigs and Josh Green gets the ball to Luca they flow into a double

Drag screening action with green as the first screener Gafford as the second screener and this is a interesting Play Because Luca comes off wide with Jaylen Williams trying to recover and Chet homr as the big Defender and Luca gets deep on the drive forces the commitment of both holgren and Jaylen Williams with

The low Defender not in a position to deter Daniel Gafford from getting a late lob passing opportunity both holgren and Williams are completely out of the picture after Luca throws his late right-handed lob it’s just up to Gafford to get up and then flush it home and he

Does exactly that these next two plays are great examples of gafford’s offensive rebounding ability after a Miss three by Derek Jones there are four Oklahoma City Thunder players in the paint Gafford manages to come up with the offensive Rebound in traffic and then draws a foul in the process with

The Mavericks and the bonus resulting in a pair of free throws and then this next play Gafford screens for Kyrie who gets into a pullup three with chat homr playing in a drop and despite being in drop coverage hren is unable to contain Gafford on the offensive glass Gafford

Comes up with the rebound uses a quick fake to gauge how the defense is going to respond and goes up for a put back the Mavericks have some intriguing options defensively with another rib protector in their rotation Derek Lively wasn’t available for this game but with

Gafford in the fold what they’re able to do here is put Derrik Jones on Chad hren so in the event of there being a ball screen they can switch it if they want to and take away the advantage that Shay gildas Alexander would have by coming

Off of a screen and that doesn’t happen on this particular play but I just wanted to illustrate that option and on this play Isaiah Joe comes up to screen for SGA and the focuses to bring Luca donic into the action but while this happens what the Mavericks are doing is

Having Daniel Gafford be responsible for Josh giddy as the low Defender giddy is a poor three-point shooter so what this allows the Mavericks to do is have a rim protector rotate in the paint in the event of a drive and provide Rim protection presence and that’s exactly what happens here resulting in an

Emphatic block this is a great example of gaford guarding in space he handles a close out well tracks the drive and then pressures deep on the drive without fouling and this results in a bad Miss Gafford was just a part of the Mavericks being aggressive and loading up on sh

Guild just Alexander after having Jaylen Williams screen for him he tried to snake the ball screen and Gafford was playing up with an early low Defender rotated in the paint at the top of the chart Circle there was just really nowhere for SGA to go and Derrick Jones

The on ball Defender ends up prying this ball loose from behind after Gafford had done a great job of tracking him and funneling him to the help that’s at the top of the restricted area this was just a great all-around defensive possession this is a great example of gafford’s Rim

Protection ability off of 2 feet in the paint there’s a 45 cut after the Baseline Drive the thunder hit the cutter and Gafford steps into Rim protection mode gets vertical and forces a miss and not only forces a Miss but comes up with the defensive rebound another thing to like about Gafford is

He’s always willing to get out on a shooter with a close out he’s not going to just stand there and watch a shot go up and on this Possession It results in a Miss if he made it this far appreciate you for watching this entire video and I

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The Dallas Mavericks received a major impact from Daniel Gafford in his debut with the team, finishing with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 block in the blowout win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here’s a breakdown of how Gafford provided major value on offense and defense.

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