Spurs dominated the paint. Dallas struggles without Gafford's presence, eagerly awaiting his protective rim presence and rebounding ahead of Friday's game.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks opened their season without Daniel Gafford, and his absence was impossible to ignore.
Still recovering from a right ankle injury suffered during the first week of training camp in Vancouver, Gafford missed Wednesday’s 125-92 loss to the San Antonio Spurs — a game that laid bare how much his rim protection and rebounding mean to Dallas’ defense.
The Mavericks were overmatched inside as Victor Wembanyama erupted for 40 points and 15 rebounds, anchoring a San Antonio attack that outscored Dallas 68-26 in the paint and dominated the glass 50-37.
Without Gafford, both Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II found themselves in early and persistent foul trouble trying to slow the 7-foot-4 phenom, forcing Jason Kidd to turn to Dwight Powell for extended minutes off the bench.
“I thought the end of the second (quarter) is where we kind of lost our focus on offense on the floor turning the ball over,” Kidd said after the loss. “When you give up 31 fast break points you’re not going to win a lot of games. So this is good to learn — Game 1 — to learn from.”
Gafford has been sidelined since camp began, unable to play in either the preseason or regular season opener. He’s participated in non-contact portions of practice over the past week and is trending in the right direction, though the team continues to take a careful approach with his return.
The 27-year-old averaged 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 57 games last season, bringing energy, shot-blocking, and interior stability that Dallas sorely missed on opening night. His ability to protect the rim and defend without fouling will be especially valuable once he’s cleared for full participation.
“He’s sore, that’s why he’s out,” Kidd said before the opener. “We’ll see how he feels (Thursday).”
The Mavericks (0-1) will face the Washington Wizards on Friday at American Airlines Center, and while Gafford’s status remains uncertain, his presence can’t come soon enough for a team that looked thin in the paint without him.