DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks are set to play the Utah Jazz in their second preseason game on Thursday. The Mavs held a shoot-around the morning before the game and center Daniel Gafford spoke to reporters afterwards. Gafford is set to compete for the starting center role, although Dereck Lively II is expected to start during the season. Whether Gafford starts or comes off the bench, he has an eye-opening rebounding goal that will catch fans' attention.

“Individual goals… I just want to be the best that I can be,” Gafford said after Thursday's shoot-around. “I made a goal with one of the coaches not too long ago, trying to work to average double-digit rebounds. Being tenacious out there on the floor, being a lot more vocal. Just navigating the defense, being more of an anchor on the defense and then just letting the offense come.”

Gafford's goal of averaging double-digit rebounds stands out. Sure, rebounding doesn't always receive the most attention, but it is an extremely important part of the game. Luka Doncic led the way for Dallas with 9.2 rebounds per game last season. Gafford, meanwhile, averaged just under seven rebounds per outing after getting traded to the Mavericks.

Doncic averages more minutes, of course. Still, Gafford wants to increase his rebounding average. He ultimately recorded 7.6 rebounds per game between the Washington Wizards and Mavericks during the 2023-24 campaign, which was a career-high. Perhaps Gafford will set a new career-high in 2024-25.

He is also confident in the Mavericks' defense, stating that their “communication” will be crucial.

“Just our communication… Even when we made mistakes we tried to figure out ways to learn on the fly to get better in those situations,” the Mavericks center said. “Just keep us in positions to where we can succeed like down the stretch throughout the game.”

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Daniel Gafford believes in Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) poses for a photo during the 2024 Dallas Mavericks media day.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Gafford will certainly play a big role for the Mavs throughout the upcoming campaign. He has also taken notice of Dallas' new players so far during the preseason and training camp.

“I love it… They come in, they get their work in,” Gafford said of the Mavs' new players. “They're pretty much soaking up all the knowledge they can just like a sponge… I feel like they're taking the right step in the right on direction on just how to make that approach to it. They're not rushing anything, they're taking their time with it, being patient.”

Gafford has plenty of confidence in this Mavericks team. The stars will receive plenty of attention, but depth will be pivotal as well. He believes opponents will have to worry about the Mavs on a “night-to-night basis.”

“Our depth in all honesty,” Gafford said. “Even without some of our main guys we feel like we are going to have short stretches of how it's going to be throughout the season for us… We can pretty much be one of those teams to be worried about on a night-to-night basis.”