Mavs big men are quite the tandem, but now comes quite the challenge from towering Wolves

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Dallas Mavericks News

NBA Playoffs,Daniel Gafford,Minnesota Timberwolves

Daniel Gafford and rookie Dereck Lively II have given the Dallas Mavericks an inside presence they couldn't have imagined before the season. Now they get the challenge of the towering Timberwolves, led by Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Western Conference finals start Wednesday night in Minnesota.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II, left, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Jaylin Williams and Isaiah Joe scramble to control the ball in the second hald of Game 6 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Dallas. Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander compete for a rebound during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Oklahoma City.

The frontcourt will be a focus as well, though. That’s partly because the Mavs have an inside presence they couldn’t have imagined before the season with the emergence of Lively and the addition of Gafford.Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren headline NBA All-Rookie team In the first round two years ago, the Mavs neutralized Gobert in a six-game victory over the Utah Jazz. Dallas reached the West finals then as well, losing to eventual champ Golden State.

But the Mavs are coming off a Game 6 victory in which Lively was so effective that he played the rest of the way in the one-point win after replacing Gafford with 6:26 remaining in the third quarter. The 7-foot Towns can score from anywhere for the third-seeded Wolves, while Gobert is much like Gafford and Lively in that his points most likely will come from pick-and-rolls, post-ups and put-backs.

NBA Playoffs Daniel Gafford Minnesota Timberwolves Rudy Gobert NBA TX State Wire Anthony Edwards Sports Dereck Lively II Chet Holmgren Luka Doncic NBA Basketball

 

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