Mavericks-Wizards preview: Gafford set to face his former team

It seems to happen a lot.

When an NBA player gets traded or changes teams for whatever reason, invariably there’s a game with his former team coming up fast on the schedule.

Really fast, in the case of Daniel Gafford.

He spent most of his first five seasons with Washington, who the red-hot Mavericks will host at American Airlines Center Monday night for the Wizards’ only visit of the season.

Just five days ago, Gafford was still a Wizard. And the way he found out about the trade – not that it was completely unexpected – came when he was planning to do his usual off-day routine.

“I was on the way to the facility for film and recovery,” Gafford said. “(I got) a call. As soon as I got through the gate (to the practice facility), that’s when I had found out.

“I went in, said my goodbyes. It’s not going to be the last time they see me, but it’s going to be the last time I’m in a Wizards’ jersey, most definitely. It was kind of a weird experience because I was going in to lock in, get ready for the next game, now I’m (in) another city. I was used to it from getting traded from Chicago. Now it’s just another chapter from my book.”

In his second year in the NBA, Gafford was traded from the Bulls to the Wizards in midseason.

Last week, it was a happy day for Gafford, as well as P.J. Washington coming from Charlotte, in that they came from rough situations in terms of wins and losses to a solid playoff contender.

“It’s taking the next step in the right direction,” Gafford said. “You go from a team where we weren’t in a position (to contend) to where we are now. It’s like the start of another season for us.”

Here’s what to look for when the Wizards visit Monday night:

• The list of reasons why the Wizards have such a dreadful record is long. They are last in the NBA in defensive scoring, allowing 123.9 points per game. They are last in offensive rebounds allowed (nearly 13 per game) and last in total rebounding (out-glassed by nearly 9 rebounds per game).
• The Wizards are in a serious rebuilding mode and rely heavily on forwards Kyle Kuzma and Deni Avdija, both of whom had 21 points in the 119-113 loss to Philadelphia in their last game on Saturday. Kuzma, who was the subject of much trade speculation before the deadline, averages 21.8 points, Avdija 13. Guard Jordan Poole was the Wizards marquee free-agent addition in the summer, and has averaged 15.8 points and is shooting just 30 percent from three-point range.
• The Wizards have lost six in a row and finish the pre-All-Star break portion of the season Wednesday at New Orleans.
• The Mavericks are rolling with four wins in a row and will be looking for their first five-game streak of the season.
• Since returning from his thumb injury, Kyrie Irving has averaged 25 points, 6.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 46.2 percent from three-point range.
• That production has not subtracted from Luka Dončić’s numbers. In the four-game win streak, he’s averaging 31.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8 assists per game while shooting better than 44 percent from three-point land.
• The Mavericks again will be without guard Dante Exum (knee), who has not played since Jan. 26, and center Dereck Lively II (nose).
• The Mavericks are favored by a whopping 13½ points and the over/under is 247.5 points.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS (9-43) at MAVERICKS (30-23)

• When/where: 7:30 p.m. Monday, American Airlines Center, Dallas.
• TV: Bally’s Sports Southwest.
• Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish).

X: @ESefko