4 Dallas Mavericks players who need more minutes, 3 who need less over final stretch

3. Needs more minutes: Daniel Gafford

If the Dallas Mavericks decrease Maxi Kleber's minutes, Daniel Gafford is someone who could get more minutes. Gafford has been excellent since the Mavs acquired him from the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline. He has been a double-double machine when given the chance, but his minutes have been down as Kleber's have been up.

Gafford has played less than 20 minutes in three straight games and only played for seven minutes in Dallas' loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He remains one of the best rebounders and shot blockers for the Mavs, and they must find a way to keep him a key piece for the team on both ends of the floor.

Gafford did not play great against the Cavs, but he is too good to be playing less than 10 minutes a game. The energy of the team when he is on the floor is excellent, and his ability to anchor the defense is great.

Gafford can't stretch the floor or switch on defense as well as Kleber can, but when the opposing team goes big, Gafford or Dereck Lively II should be in the game. This will help Kleber's minutes to not get too high while maintaining an effective lineup. There were points in the Cavaliers game where they weren't going small, but Jason Kidd elected to have Kleber as the center over Lively II or Gafford.