The Dallas Mavericks announced on Tuesday that Daniel Gafford will be sidelined for at least two weeks due to a right knee sprain, exacerbating the team’s already dire situation in the frontcourt. This marks another significant setback for the Mavericks, who have been plagued by injuries among their key big men, including recent acquisition Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Dwight Powell.
Gafford, averaging 12.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks, sustained the injury during the early stages of Monday’s game against the Sacramento Kings, an eventual overtime defeat for Dallas. He was forced to leave after just 10 minutes off the court.
Davis’s absence compounds the Mavericks’ frontcourt woes. Last week, Davis was acquired in a blockbuster trade that sent franchise superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. Davis is currently out with a left adductor strain and is expected to miss at least multiple weeks.
“They’re still evaluating,” Kidd said before Monday’s game. “There’s still stuff that has to come out at some point that will all speculation right now. But he’s being evaluated. And at that point, then a statement will come out.”
Adding to the team’s challenges, Lively has been out with a stress fracture in his right foot since last month. He is expected to recover in two to three months. Dwight Powell is also sidelined with a hip injury, and there is no definitive timeline for his return.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper played more small ball center in Monday’s loss, logging 34 minutes. The Mavericks may also look to P.J. Washington, who is nearing a return from an ankle injury, to play as a small-ball center if he’s good to go.
Despite these setbacks, the Mavericks rank eighth in the Western Conference ahead of Wednesday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Dallas faces a challenging period ahead as it awaits the return of its injured players.
