When the Mavericks traded for former Wizards big man Daniel Gafford, it was quietly one of the most intriguing moves of the NBA’s trade deadline.
Gafford, 25, is a perfect lob threat to play alongside Dallas superstar Luka Doncic. Since his arrival on the Mavericks, especially after moving into the starting lineup, he has played particularly well.
In fact, Gafford is approaching historical efficiency records. Gafford has made 28 consecutive field goals and he somehow has not missed a shot in four games, the most of any player since the play-by-play era began in 1996-97.
Wildest stat in the league right now? Mavericks center Daniel Gafford made all nine field goals last night, extending his run of consecutive made shots to 28 — just seven shy of the NBA record. (Wilt made 35 in a row in 1967.)
— J.E. Skeets (@jeskeets) March 12, 2024
With seven more makes in a row, he can break Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 35 consecutive field goals made. Here is Gafford’s explanation for how he is doing it (via CBS Sports):
“My philosophy for sure is just being consistent,” Gafford said Monday. “I have the mindset that I want to finish everything, no matter if there’s somebody in front of you, or there isn’t somebody in front of you. At the end of the day, I either dunk it or lay it in the rim.”
For what it is worth, Gafford is getting excellent looks at the basket.
Since arriving in Dallas earlier this season, 88% of Gafford’s attempts have come within four feet of the rim. That ranks in the 97th percentile among all big men, via Cleaning the Glass.
Meanwhile, the big man has a “shot quality” of 0.67 dating back to his first game with the Mavericks on Feb. 10. That ranks as the highest (minimum: 150 minutes) during that span, per PBPStats.
Gafford’s next games are against Golden State, Oklahoma City and Denver. He is in a solid position to potentially dethrone Chamberlain for this unique record.
