‘Winning Play After Winning Play’: Daniel Gafford Extends Block Streak, Scores 18 As Dallas Mavericks Beat Houston Rockets

DALLAS — Daniel Gafford blocked 2 shots on Friday night and has now recorded multiple blocks in each of the Dallas Mavericks’ first six games. No other player in the NBA has a six-game run like that this season.

Gafford also scored 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting in a 116-111 win over the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center. He made 6 of his 9 free throws and finished with 7 rebounds and 2 assists in 28 minutes, 46 seconds.

Shawn Bradley is the only other player in franchise history to open a season with at least six straight multi-block games. Bradley started the 1999-2000 season with 16 in a row, and six games also matches the longest such streak to begin a season in Gafford’s career.

Gafford entered Friday averaging 6.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.0 blocks in 22.4 minutes while shooting 65.2% from the field. He scored 8 points in the fourth quarter on 3-of-3 shooting and 2-of-2 from the line.

In the first quarter, Gafford played only 4 minutes, 12 seconds, and he had 3 turnovers by halftime. He played 19 minutes, 45 seconds after the break, and Dallas outscored Houston by 15 points with him on the floor in that span.

“I thought Gaff early on, in the first quarter, I thought he was probably having his worst game of the year. He’s been really good for us, and the second half was just another level,” Mavericks coach Dusty May said. “You’re able to block those attempts at the rim. Usually it starts a break going the other way. Those are energizing, momentum-changing plays, and off the top of my head, I can remember several, and then to step up and knock down the free throws at the biggest moment. Just big winning play after winning play.”

Daniel Gafford’s Fourth Quarter Against Houston

Gafford opened the fourth quarter by finishing a cutting layup off a Kyrie Irving pass, cutting Houston’s lead to 84-78. With 10:41 left, he blocked a cutting dunk attempt by Amen Thompson, and his first block had come in the second quarter, on a dunk try by Oscar Tshiebwe.

Irving found Gafford again for a cutting dunk with 6:16 remaining, giving Dallas a 93-90 lead. With 1:18 left, Gafford grabbed an Irving miss and put it back, and Clint Capela was called for goaltending on the attempt, making it 107-102.

Gafford was subbed out with 1:01 remaining and re-entered before play resumed. He went to the line with 11.3 seconds left and the Mavericks up 109-108, and he made both free throws.

The Rockets finished with 20 offensive rebounds and 20 second-chance points. Tari Eason had 8 offensive boards, and Capela grabbed 6 of his 11 rebounds in the fourth quarter.

“Gaff obviously holding down the paint. He never got, never backed down from the challenge. He’s always there protecting the paint, getting the rebounds,” Cooper Flagg said. “That’s a big team, rebounding and pushing out the way, really physical. So I think just down the stretch, him blocking out and helping us grab some rebounds was huge.”

Gafford Anchors The Frontcourt With Lively Sidelined

Gafford has started all six games at center for Dallas. Dereck Lively II remains out while recovering from right foot surgery, and Santi Aldama is out after right knee surgery.

Rookie Morez Johnson Jr., the ninth overall pick in June, played 17 minutes, 8 seconds behind Gafford and had 2 points and 2 rebounds. P.J. Washington pulled down 10 rebounds, 7 of them in the fourth quarter.

Nine days earlier, Houston beat Dallas 128-110 in the season opener at Toyota Center. The Mavericks outrebounded the Rockets 13-11 in the fourth quarter Friday.

“A number of things. One area that jumps out is, and they did in the first half, they had 20 offensive rebounds, but they’re on the glass,” May said. “And tonight, the ones they got, I don’t think was a lack of effort on our part. Maybe it was poor judgment where maybe we got too far in help and couldn’t block out, but I thought our effort was good. There didn’t seem to be any leak-outs, guys that weren’t in the fight. I thought we were in the fight.”

Dallas improved to 4-2 with its third straight win. Gafford’s 2 blocks Friday give him 12 through six games.

“But so many other possessions jump out. Gafford’s blocks at the rim were huge. P.J.’s rebounds in traffic late. I think he had three in the last three minutes, and we needed all of them,” May explained.

The Mavericks host the Sacramento Kings on Monday at American Airlines Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT.