Dallas Mavericks are wasting the talents of newly acquired center Daniel Gafford

The Dallas Mavericks have struggled the past week. It all began Sunday when the team fell 133-111 to the Indiana Pacers. The struggles continued Tuesday when Dallas suffered a last-minute defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Mavs were in the hunt for the entire game, and nearly won, but Max Strus' shot from beyond half court gave the Cavs the win.

The worst loss came on Friday when the Mavs struggled mightily against the Boston Celtics. They were down seven at halftime before they began to crumble in the fourth quarter. The Celtics scored 36 points in the fourth to help seal the deal.

So, what seems to be the issue? Could it be connected to sixth-man Tim Hardaway Jr; he has struggled to find a rhythm on the court. Or could coach Jason Kidd be the problem? Are his coaching tactics hurting the team down the stretch?

Dallas Mavericks are wasting the talents of newly acquired center Daniel Gafford

However, one issue could be the use and development of newcomer Daniel Gafford. The Mavs center has begun to see less time on the court, which is clearly affecting the team.

In the team's most recent loss, Gafford saw six minutes of action. He recorded two rebounds and one block during that time. His defense was great against players like Jayson Tatum and he guarded well in space. However, Dallas chose to go small-ball, and it probably cost them the game.

The same issue occurred on Tuesday against the Cavaliers. Gafford played seven minutes in the game and had four points and two rebounds. The dilemma? Dallas again selected to go small, as they had Maxi Kleber at the five.

Since his arrival, Gafford has averaged 18.9 minutes of action. What a difference this is! In Washington, he averaged 26.5 minutes. Over the past three games, though, his minutes per game have been hanging steadily at 12.6.

So, if one thing is clear, the small-ball lineup is not working in the Mavs' favor, and Gafford is paying heavily for it.

In his first three games with Dallas, Gafford averaged 21 minutes. It translated to him dropping a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. He also averaged 2.3 blocks per game.

Gafford has played eight games with the Mavs. Of those matches, he has had three games where he saw more than 20 minutes of action. He averaged 13 points per game and 11.3 rebounds during those games. So, it's clear that having Gafford in the lineup helps the team on both ends of the court.

The team traded a first-round pick and Richaun Holmes for Gafford last month. The reason for the trade was simple. Dallas needed a backup center for Kidd to play behind Dereck Lively II. So, why not utilize him more? It would be a shame if the team gave up a first-round selection for a player they hardly use.

Gafford can produce well given the right time. Look at his performance against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. In 25 minutes, he scored 13 points, seven rebounds, one block, and a steal.

This isn't to say that Kidd's small-ball lineup can't work at all, as it has been effective for the Mavs in the past, but Dallas can't afford to have Gafford on the bench for the entire second half of games. Boston is a unique matchup, as nearly their entire rotation can knock down threes, and Gafford could see more time tomorrow.

Jason Kidd, Daniel Gafford, and the Dallas Mavericks will look to bounce back tomorrow against the Philadelphia 76ers.