DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks were unable to clinch a Western Conference Finals sweep on Tuesday night in Game 4, losing 105-100 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Dallas leads the series 3-1 now, and the Mavs will have to travel back to Minnesota for Game 5. Center Daniel Gafford got brutally honest after the defeat.
Dereck Lively II missed Game 4 with a neck sprain. As a result, Gafford was tasked with carrying the load for the Mavs in the paint. He played fairly well considering the circumstances, but he was not pleased with his performance.
“Dereck (Lively) has been great… He's been picking up the slack for me of course,” Gafford said after the game. “Last couple of games I haven't been really ready to play I feel like. I'm letting the team down in a lot of areas. He really helps me motivate myself because as hard as he's working, I want to be able to do the same thing. I gotta be better for him.
“In all honesty, we just have to have that next man up mentality, just be able to withstand that punch that they are trying to throw at us.”
Gafford scored 12 points and added eight rebounds and three blocks. He also shot 6-6 from the field. Nevertheless, he clearly expects more of himself.
I asked Gafford, who admitted that he felt like he's “letting the team down,” if that's something that will motivate him for Game 5.
“Oh yeah, most definitely,” Gafford said. “This one hurts. We were expecting to be happy at the end of the game. Now we're pissed off.”
Mavericks' Daniel Gafford “pissed off” heading into Game 5
Daniel Gafford is one of the nicest guys you will meet. He's often seen smiling and laughing and brings positive energy to the Mavericks. But we saw a different side of Gafford after Game 4, a side that is also positive but in a different way.
Gafford's energy has been discussed on a consistent basis since he was acquired by Dallas ahead of the 2023-24 trade deadline. He loves to get the crowd involved after throwing down a huge dunk or swatting away an opposing player's shot.
The Mavericks center was all business during his postgame press conference on Tuesday. He is clearly motivated and prepared to step up in Game 5. Gafford wanted to offer more production in Game 4, especially with Dereck Lively II out. Lively and Gafford have become one of the better center duos in the NBA, and Gafford may have felt extra pressure to perform at a higher level given Lively's absence on Tuesday.
The Timberwolves will take notice of Gafford's postgame comments. Again, he is a nice guy, but a “pissed off” Daniel Gafford spells trouble for opponents. It would not be surprising to see Gafford approach Thursday's contest with an increased aggressive mindset.
And that does not necessarily mean he will have an offensive explosion, although it is possible. But Mavs fans can expect Gafford to protect the basket at a high level while making a significant impact on the boards. He wants to do whatever it takes to help Dallas win and clinch an NBA Finals appearance.
Thursday's Game 5 is scheduled for 8:30 PM EST in Minnesota.
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