Mavericks' preseason opener hinted at big men reviving a lost art in Dallas

The Dallas Mavericks played their first preseason game against the Houston Rockets yesterday in China, and one thing that stood out was the big men shooting and making 3-pointers. Both Daniel Gafford and rookie Morez Johnson Jr. made a 3-pointer each yesterday and looked comfortable shooting them.

This hints at the Mavericks reviving a role they haven't had in years: a consistent stretch big.

Mavericks haven't had a reliable stretch five in years

A big part of why the Mavs weren't a great team last year was 3-point shooting. It's no secret that shooting was a priority this offseason, and in their first preseason game against the Rockets, it's clear that they are going to shoot a lot of threes after putting up 51 on Friday. But one huge reason why they weren't a good 3-point shooting team last year is that they didn't have a big man who could legitimately stretch the floor, and that seems like it's going to change this season.

The 3-point shot in the NBA has clearly become more valuable in the last decade, and with that comes a priority for teams to find centers and big men that can spread the floor and play in five-out lineups. The Mavericks, however, haven't had that luxury in the last few seasons. In fact, the last player who could play the five and consistently make threes for Dallas was Maxi Kleber, and even he stopped playing consistent minutes years ago before he was traded.

The Mavericks not only drafted a big man who can stretch the floor with Morez Johnson Jr., but they also signed another big man who's known for shooting threes: Santi Aldama. Both of these pickups in the offseason suggest that the Mavericks want to be able to play lineups that, offensively, can play five-out and have 3-point threats everywhere. And after Johnson Jr. started and made a three in their first preseason game, it looks like that strategy might pay off.

Dusty May has mentioned Gafford will shoot threes

During training camp interviews, Dusty May answered questions about Daniel Gafford's role with the team this upcoming season, stating that he wants Gafford to be a connector and take open threes when the defense is giving that to him. While coaches often say things about players that don't end up coming to fruition, it seems like a 3-point shot might actually come into play for Gafford this year.

Gafford only took one three in the preseason game, but the way he comfortably caught the ball and stepped into his shot was what made fans think that this could be a real thing going into the season. Not only did he step into it smoothly, but the form looked great, and the shot hit nothing but net. If Gafford can do this consistently throughout the season, this will no doubt boost the Mavericks' offense and give them something they haven't had in a long time.

Yes, it is only one game, and even then, it's preseason. But patterns have to start somewhere, and especially with a completely new coaching staff, it's a little safer to react to things we see in the preseason. Morez Johnson Jr. and Daniel Gafford are going to play big roles for the team this season, and if this first preseason game is any indication, they might have a bigger impact than most fans even realize as stretch bigs.

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