Daniel

Gafford

For the few who had Bagley rostered, his Mavericks debut went about as well as one could hope. Despite coming off the bench, he played 24 minutes, six more than starter Daniel Gafford (nine points, four rebounds and two assists), who was in foul trouble for most of the night. Even if the minutes were reversed, Bagley offers solid fantasy upside in Dallas. Deep-league managers should consider picking him up, with Dallas playing four games in Week 17.

Gafford is available after initially being questionable for Thursday’s game. If his right ankle gives the center any difficulty, the Mavericks would then turn to Dwight Powell and Moussa Cissé to pick up the slack.

Gafford, whose right ankle has been an issue since the start of training camp, sprained it again during the second quarter of Tuesday’s loss to the Celtics. While he did return during the third quarter, the Mavericks center is back on the injury report. If he can’t play against the Spurs, Dallas will rely on Dwight Powell and Moussa Cissé to handle the center position.

Bagley has been a solid backup center for Washington this season, which includes some productive outings as a starter. With Dallas, he could be productive down the stretch of this season. He isn’t a long-term solution at center, but he will be part of the rotation along with Daniel Gafford, Moussa Cisse and Dwight Powell. Bagley is arguably the best offensive big in that group, so he should be able to carve out a place in the rotation and could spend time as a starter, given Gafford’s injury frequency.

Gafford left Tuesday’s game in the second quarter with a right ankle injury, the same one that has sidelined him on multiple occasions this season. However, he was able to return during the third quarter and finished with his second straight double-double and fifth of the season. If Gafford can’t play on Thursday against the Spurs, Moussa Cissé (four points, five rebounds) and Dwight Powell (four points, two rebounds and one steal) will figure more prominently in the rotation.

Gafford’s double-double was his fourth of the season, but the playing time may be the most notable aspect of his night in Houston. The 28 minutes were the most in a game for the Mavericks’ center since November 24, exceeded only by Gafford playing 31 minutes in a November 16 win over the Trail Blazers. How Dallas decides to approach the rest of the season will be worth watching, as Saturday’s defeat dropped them five games behind the 10th-place Clippers in the loss column. If they try to compete for a play-in spot, Gafford should be fine minutes-wise. If not, expect to see more of Moussa Cissé (three points, one rebound, one assist and one block in 13 minutes).

The Mavericks won’t have Cooper Flagg for Thursday’s game, which is their first of two in as many nights. As a result, Washington returns to the starting lineup, while Gafford replaces Dwight Powell. Also, Marshall will have a higher fantasy ceiling because Dallas is light on healthy playmakers.

Cissé’s absence coincides with Daniel Gafford’s return from a sprained ankle. As a result, Gafford can absorb those minutes, at a minimum. Dwight Powell will remain in the rotation, but he hasn’t offered much fantasy value, whether he starts or comes off the bench.

Initially questionable for Saturday’s game, Cissé is trending in the wrong direction regarding his availability. With Daniel Gafford (ankle) listed as probable, the Mavericks will be able to compensate for the rookie center’s absence.

Gafford is set to return following a four-game absence. According to head coach Jason Kidd on Friday, “Gaff did shootaround. He did everything. He’ll be ready to go tomorrow.” Gafford’s return should send Dwight Powell back to the bench and eliminate the streaming appeal of he and Moussa Cissé.