A very underrated part of the Dallas Mavericks team this upcoming NBA season is their interchangeability at the center position. Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford would start for most teams, and Dallas having both of them on the roster will ultimately turn out to be one of their biggest strengths.
The Mavericks will essentially always have a starting center on the court. Jason Kidd said during media day that Lively will get the first crack at the starting job, but he sees them as equals.
“We just come in every day and make each other better. That is the message we both try to portray. I get that somebody is going to have to start at the end of the day, but I don’t think we are going to make a big deal out of it,” said Gafford.
The two big men excel in the rim-protecting and lob-finishing departments and are valuable assets in the screen game. Shooting could become another part of their games that we have not seen much of in the past, adding a whole new dimension to this team.
Splitting minutes will keep them fresh and allow them to give maximum effort at all times while on the court. When an opposing team’s backup center comes into the game, the Mavericks will almost always have the edge at the position, allowing Lively and Gafford to flourish.
“When it comes to the anticipation of me and D Live, I feel like we are just going to be like two good ole cowboys out there doing our thing, having fun, and catching lobs,” said Gafford.
Combining their talent with the support they have for each other could be a dream scenario for Dallas, allowing them to never have to worry about their production from the center position. If one player is struggling, they can easily turn to the other, and when both are right, Dallas will dominate down low.
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