The Dallas Mavericks completed a gentleman’s sweep of the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday, winning Game 5 124-103 to advance to the NBA Finals. Luka Doncic led the way, scoring 36 points on 63.6 percent shooting, winning the Magic Johnson MVP award. The team bounced back after losing Game 4. Dallas will now face the Boston Celtics on June 6, a team favored over the Mavs.
However, none of this would be possible without the free agent signing and trade acquisitions of Nico Harrison. Nico helped the Mavs acquire Kyrie Irving in February of last year. Dallas traded two formers Mavs, a future first-round pick, and two future second-round selections to acquire Irving.
Given that the NBA and many teams had given up on Irving, the deal was viewed as a gamble. Dallas, on the other hand, had not, since they subsequently signed Irving to a new three-year contract in the offseason.
The complete 180-minute effort from Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington benefits the Mavericks.
Nico didn’t stop moving following Irving’s resignation. During the NBA draft, he made a deal to acquire Dereck Lively II’s draft rights. Then, he acquired P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford to address the Mavs’ big-man problems.
This move seemed to work for both sides, as both players played a pivotal role in helping the Mavs advance deep in the playoffs. Washington averaged a playoff-high 17.7 points per game against the Oklahoma City Thunder to help Dallas advance to the Western Conference Finals. Gafford too played a role in assisting the Mavs to make a deep run, as he averaged 10.8 points per game, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.6 steals against Minnesota.
Both players took in the moment after advancing to the NBA Finals. Washington was seen on video hyping up Gafford.
Along with the Dallas Mavericks, Washington qualified for the playoffs for the first time. Being a part of something exceptional is a weird experience for him right now. He started 17 of the Charlotte Hornets’ 44 games during the previous campaign. Since Charlotte had the fourth-worst record at the end of the previous season, he was unable to get a regular job there.
Conversely, Gafford only made one trip to the postseason in his time with Washington. Nevertheless, the Wizards were eliminated in the opening round of his lone postseason appearance. He was off the Wizards at just the right moment. Midway through the season, Washington sacked their head coach and traded their greatest player, Bradley Beal, in the offseason.
It’s safe to say that both players are happy with their circumstances in Dallas at this point. The Mavericks were worst in the NBA in terms of rebounds per game. They had a league-lower average of 38.8 boards. In the playoffs, the Mavericks are currently averaging the fourth-best rebounds per game. Their turnover is largely attributable to Washington and Gafford.
The Mavericks’ supporters can only hope that Washington and Gafford’s achievements help them win a second NBA Championship.
Follow along for all the latest on Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington, and the Dallas Mavericks’ championship run.