Daniel Gafford finally got the shot to drop. In the Dallas Mavericks' 120-96 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, the center made the first 3-pointer of his NBA career in his 438th regular-season game, a 23-footer that put Dallas ahead 8-7 with 8:29 left in the first quarter.
It was only the second 3-point attempt of Gafford's career, but it added another layer to a strong all-around night. He finished with 7 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in 26:40, continuing a season in which he has been productive even while still operating as the Mavericks' main interior presence.
Dusty May: the shot is part of the work
Dusty May said Gafford's improvement has come from steady work rather than a sudden change in approach. He noted that Gafford has been putting in time on the shot all summer, having already made one in exhibition play, but added that making them in practice and making them in games are different challenges.
The bigger point, though, is that Gafford has not abandoned what makes him valuable. May praised him for continuing to dominate the paint and said that, when the opportunity comes, he has to knock down the look. He also stressed that Gafford is not turning into a perimeter-minded big for the sake of it; he is still changing his game in a way that supports his role as an enforcer down low.
Why Dallas benefits from more than one dimension
That balance matters for the Mavericks. Gafford entered Wednesday with career averages of 9.3 points and 5.8 rebounds on 70.2% shooting across 437 games, so his value has never been tied to outside scoring. His job has been to protect the rim, finish around the basket and clean up possessions, and he has done that well since Dallas acquired him from Washington in February 2024.
Through the first four games this season, Gafford had not attempted a 3-pointer. Through five games, however, he is averaging 6.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 blocks in 22.4 minutes, a line that reflects a player doing exactly what his team needs. Against Oklahoma City, he also grabbed six offensive rebounds across the game for Dallas, helping the Mavericks control the physical side of the contest.
The Mavericks' front line is doing its job
May was especially complimentary about the front line overall, saying he could not speak highly enough about the way Gafford and P.J. Washington have played. He also highlighted the way Dallas responds after offensive rebounds, with teammates fanning out and creating space when Gafford works inside.
That is why the 3-pointer should be seen as a bonus rather than a headline that changes his identity. Gafford is still most valuable when he is setting hard screens, creating second chances and making life difficult for opponents around the rim. As May put it, there are often 10 or 15 possessions a game where Gafford's screens open things up for others, and the shot he made on Wednesday simply showed that his work can now show up in another way too.
For Dallas, that is an encouraging sign. The Mavericks do not need Gafford to become a volume shooter, but they do benefit if defenses have one more thing to think about. On a night when Dallas won comfortably, Gafford's first NBA 3-pointer was a neat milestone that fit the wider picture: a big man still doing the dirty work, but with a little more to offer when the game gives him the chance.
