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Why Daniel Gafford’s 17 rebounds vs. Raptors are an important sign

By Chase Hughes

Why Gafford's 17 rebounds vs. Raptors are important originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

With Russell Westbrook and his 11.5 rebounds per game now no longer on the Wizards’ roster, they are going to have to backfill that production somehow, some way. On Tuesday night against the Toronto Raptors, Daniel Gafford gave a strong indication he could be a major help in that effort.

Gafford brought in 17 rebounds against Toronto, which if it were in a regular-season game would have obliterated his career-high of 11. That came after he recorded just one rebound in 22 minutes in the Wizards’ previous game against the New York Knicks.

Gafford averaged 5.6 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per game for the Wizards last season, good for a solid 11.3 per-36 minute average. But consistency will be key this season with him in the starting lineup and with Westbrook (and others who helped) elsewhere.

“Really just having a ‘be better’ mindset. The last few games, I really wasn’t producing on the boards,” Gafford said. “Being one of the guys that is starting, I need to be able to crash the glass and have a lot of energy into the game to be able to set a standard for the guys coming in so they can have the juice to come in. So tonight, I really just focused on being more physical and coming out of the game with tenacity on the boards.”

Head coach Wes Unseld Jr. sees a lot of potential for Gafford on the glass. It’s going to be a team effort with many others like Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and Rui Hachimura needing to do their part. But the team has high hopes for Gafford and rebounding is going to be important for him as a key cog in the rotation.

Unseld Jr. noticed an intangible difference in Gafford on Tuesday compared to previous games.

“Just his overall effort and energy. That’s who he is and that’s how he has to impact the game,” Unseld Jr. said. “Obviously, he can block shots, he can be a rim-protector for us, he puts pressure on the rim offensively. But just overall mindset, it’s one of those things where the great rebounders, you’ve gotta assume that every shot is a miss. It’s just a mindset that guys have. I think he’s got the athleticism, it’s just maintaining that mindset.”

While Gafford had 17 boards, the Wizards still lost the rebounding category overall to Toronto 60-55 and also the game. It may be a work in progress early in the season as new players figure out how to play off of each other. There will be chemistry to establish between those boxing out and those crashing the glass.

Gafford, though, has proven to be a quick learner and rebounding isn’t the only area he’s showing progress in during the preseason. He is also expanding his shot-blocking repertoire by using both hands.

Gafford is a right-handed player, but blocked shots with his left hand in both Saturday’s game against the Knicks and in Tuesday’s game vs. the Raptors. He says it’s something he’s been working on.

“It’s a bit rare. Usually, whenever I’m in position to block with my left hand, I just go for it,” Gafford said. “[Usually] it’s with my right hand. I’m just trying to be able to alter shots with both hand. That’s really what’s just going to help me excel, just being a shot-blocker. Just being able to alter shots on the left side of the goal, right side of the goal, either hand.”

That right there embodies what the Wizards love about Gafford. He’s far more than a super athlete. He’s also obsessive about getting better and that bodes well for his future.

Wizards lose third straight as James Harden records 17 assists for 76ers

By Chase Hughes
Wizards lose third straight as Harden records 17 assists originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonWASHINGTON -- The Washington Wizards lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 118-111 on Halloween at Capital One Arena. Here are five takeaways from what went down...Three in a rowThe Wizards were 3-1 through their first four games this season, but a lot can change in a short period of time as it only took four days for them to lose three consecutive games, leaving them at 3-4. After losing to the Pacers at home and the Celtics on the road, they returned home for a lopsided defeat at the hands of the Sixers.Philly played without superstar Joel Embiid, who sat with a non-COVID illness. But James Harden (23 points, 17 assists) and Tyrese Maxey (28 points) were plenty enough for them to get the win. The Sixers created separation with a +13 margin in the third quarter and were able to hold the Wizards off after that.The Wizards fell to 3-4 on the season and it won't get any easier moving forward. They see the Sixers again on Wednesday, then the Nets and Grizzlies after that.No Embiid changed some thingsWithout Embiid, the Sixers went micro with P.J. Tucker starting at center. He's 6-foot-5, which means he had a 10-inch height disadvantage battling the 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis in the post. Porzingis was able to capitalize with a strong offensive game of 32 points (10-16 FG) to go along with nine rebounds, but Tucker held his own in other areas, as he usually does. He did a nice job of creating openings for Sixers' guards off screens and broke free for a few baskets of his own, scoring 13 points.Former Wizards fan favorite Montrezl Harrell also made a big difference in the second half, partly leading to Taj Gibson replacing Daniel Gafford in the second unit. Where the Wizards probably wish they took advantage more is in the paint. The Sixers outdid the Wizards in paint points, 56-50. Deni to the benchBefore the game, when asked the customary question of whether he would use the same starters, head coach Wes Unseld Jr. responded with a vague "maybe." It wasn't clear at the time if that actually meant a change was coming, as he could have just been practicing gamesmanship. But sure enough, there was a new lineup, as Deni Avdija moved to the bench after starting the first six games. He was replaced by Anthony Gill.Avdija only played 11 minutes in the Wizards' loss to the Celtics on Sunday night, as Unseld Jr. went away from him after a poor defensive start, albeit due to some very difficult assignments. Avdija played 17 minutes in this one and played better. He had a rough beginning, but rallied to get some stops against Harden and was able to show a little bit more of his passing ability with a handful of assists. That's the thing about Avdija coming off the bench. While he balances out the starting lineup well, he should have more of an opportunity to spread his wings offensively in the second unit.Slow start for BealAfter going scoreless in the first half of Sunday's loss for the first time since 2018, Bradley Beal managed only four points in the first half against Philadelphia. He was better in the third quarter, with eight points in the frame, and ended up with 20 points for the night on 7-for-18 shooting with four turnovers. With 12 points against Boston, that means he combined to score 32 points in two games. It wasn't long ago that was a single-game number for Beal.Beal, though, has had a heck of a time against two tough defenses on back-to-back nights. Against Philly, he saw a lot of contact, yet only got to the line four times. He's in a bit of a rut right now and the referees seem intent on not lending any help. It will be interesting to see if the Wizards do anything differently next game to try to shake his slump.Still waiting on KispertCorey Kispert sat out once again due to his sprained left ankle, despite last week practicing for the Wizards and being described by Unseld Jr. as "really close." According to the Wizards' coach, Kispert continues to make progress practicing with the Capital City Go-Go. He's just not quite ready yet.Wednesday will mark four weeks since Kispert's injury was first revealed and the original timeline was 4-6 weeks. So, given that, it probably shouldn't be a surprise he hasn't played yet, even though it seemed like his return was imminent late last week. The Wizards play their next game on Wednesday and that will technically be within the original window the team gave as a projection. Maybe he plays against Philly. If not, the Wizards' next game is Friday vs. the Nets.
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