The Dallas Mavericks went into this season hellbent on being a solid defensive team. But the lightbulb moment when that
Gafford and Washington have been the defensive engines the Mavs have used to steer themselves within one win of reaching the Western Conference Finals for the second time in three seasons. Since the two trades, for the most part the Mavs have been the ones throwing the first and second punch on the defensive end of the court.