Game 55: San Antonio Spurs (11-43) vs. Dallas Mavericks (31-23)

[dirkfansince1998]

I like this post a lot except for the Gafford "empty stats" declaration.

Rebounding, high efficiency finishing at the rim and rim protection are all valuable.  We're also 3-0 since the trade despite Lively only playing 17 minutes total in those 3 games.  I think we both agree that it was a good trade.  I will just protest the empty stats label on Gafford as long as we're winning.

I am talking about things like DFG% compared to his block numbers. 5blk in a game. One would think that he is an elite rim protector. But his DFG% around the rim is average for a big. Add a below average DFG% outside the paint. Especially from 3 and the defensive impact probably isn't as high as blks+reb indicate.
That goes along with the +/-. Mavs are winning but looking at the lineup data Gafford's minutes have been among the worst. Looking at the first five games of the winnning streak Maxi lead the team in +/-. Yesterday it was Lively.

That's not Gafford bashing. Just factual information. What people do with it is up to them. For me it indicates that Gafford probably isn't as good as the boxscore suggests.

Doesn't mean that I am completly out on him. He is the big bruiser type that can give them 10-20 minutes per game depending on the matchup. Instead of having a fatal flaw that could be exposed the Mavs finally have a counter. I just don't think he is even in the same conversation as Lively (or even Maxi) when it comes to on court value for the Mavs.