The Dallas Mavericks’ forgotten duo hold the keys to getting back on track

With a nearly healthy roster, the Dallas Mavericks got their first taste of the NBA Cup against Golden State.

Dallas played about as well as they are capable of. They led the game by as many as 11, and by as many as seven with less than four minutes remaining.

As Mavs fans know, the Warriors aren’t really out until the clock hits zero. Stephen Curry exposed the Mavs’ latest mistakes in closing games.

The Mavericks proved to have some security that they need to build on in order not to worry about those late-game issues.

The two big men were dominant on the night.

It was the first time in over a week that Mavs fans saw Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford play in the same game for Dallas.

Lively II was coming off an unexpected injury that hurt Dallas against Indiana’s big stretch as Gafford struggled. The big man depth wasn’t the same and Indiana’s big guys kept eating in the paint and from downtown.

Lively II coming back in an NBA Cup game was desperately needed. Even with the Mavericks going down, it’s a sign that this big man tandem is growing this season.

Gafford, who started the game, finished with 15 points and six rebounds. Lively II, coming off the bench, recorded 12 points and eight rebounds.

Another reason the two guys worked together was that the minutes were split evenly. Both guys had 24 minutes of playing time.

Before the season we knew it would be a tough decision for the coaching staff to make when it comes to who should start. Both guys have such tremendous value in the game.

They might just be the best center duo in Dallas history, and that’s saying a lot considering the two guys haven’t played a full season together.

It’s fair to go with the fact that Dallas has a problem closing out games, in fact they’ve lost three games in a row by a combined six points. These are scenarios where they should have closed the game.

Now that both big guys are playing as well as they have, they might not even have to worry about the dramatic late game sequences too much anymore. The Mavs can open the game with multiple pick and rolls and lobs to each guy as a quick energy booster. The Mavericks wasted no time with Lively II and Gafford scoring high percentages.

This is one of the most anticipated seasons for Dallas in recent memory. There is simply too much talent on the roster to start slow or lose a late lead.

Those clutch situations will certainly be simulated in drills as to what exactly the game plan will be if the Mavericks are ever in such a situation later this year.