SUMMARY
- The Mavericks' recent win over the Hornets helped them clinch a playoff spot in the West.
- Daniel Gafford recalled the famous words of Kobe Bryant during the post-game interview.
The Dallas Mavericks are slowly becoming a major threat to the entire Western Conference after winning 16 of their last 21 games. It hasn’t been an easy task, but Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have been creating art on the floor. Right now, they rank fifth in the West with a 49-30 record. After their recent win against the Charlotte Hornets, Dallas clinched a playoff position.
Daniel Gafford on the NBA Playoffs being so close:
“I’m pretty sure everybody is excited. It’s a business so we gotta make sure to take care of business going down the road…In the great words of Kobe Bryant, God rest his soul, ‘The job’s not done until it’s done’…” pic.twitter.com/QO6HzeIyOs
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) April 10, 2024
After the win, the Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford shared some inspiring words from the late great Kobe Bryant. He said, “I’m pretty sure everybody is excited. It’s a business so we gotta make sure to take care of business going down the road…In the great words of Kobe Bryant, God rest his soul, ‘The job’s not done until it’s done.’” The Mavericks have been extremely dominant in clutch statistics and this could go a long way in the playoffs.
Daniel Gafford goes clean from the field during the Mavericks vs Hornets game
Not too long ago, Daniel Gafford chased an incredible career feature that still stands under Wilt Chamberlain’s resume. The legend shot 35 field goals consecutively to set the record for the longest streak in NBA history. The Mavericks had previously surpassed Chamberlain for the second-longest streak in field goals shot consecutive making 33 over five games. Unfortunately, on March 3, Gafford missed an attempt to break his streak.
But it seems like Gafford isn’t going to settle for anything less than Chamberlain’s record. In both of his previous appearances, Gafford shot 100% from the field. Against the Hornets, the Mavericks center went 12-12 from the field which added to his team’s lead over the opposition. The Mavericks were fairly dominant throughout the game which resulted in a 104-130.
Who will the Mavericks face in the playoffs?
Now that the Mavericks and the top four teams have clinched playoff seeds, the LA Clippers are the team that ranks above them. LA has been a significantly strong team on all sides of the floor. In the playoffs, the fourth and fifth seeds get paired against each other in the first round. During normal regular season games, the Clippers have a 2-0 edge over the Mavericks.
Tha Dallas Mavericks are OFFICIALLY going to the 2024 Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/ynHHIsPS29
— MavsMuse (@MavsMuse) April 10, 2024
The only other game they’ve played was during the In-Season Tournament, which the Mavericks won. Dallas may have worked better under pressure. The In-Season Tournament brought a sense of playoff feel to the game as well. Both teams are equally as good as each other except that Dallas might have an edge on offense and clutch stats.