Daniel Gafford 20 points vs Warriors (Mar 23, 2026): 3rd-best of 50 games
20 PTS · 8-of-8 FG · 4-of-8 FT · 31:30 MIN
Usual before this game: 9.3 PTS · 5.7 FGA · 21.9 MIN, from 49 regular-season games
3rd-best Game Score of the 50 games the source holds this season: 22.9 against a usual 9.6 (+13.3)
above usual
No more than 4 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did Daniel Gafford score 20 points?
Daniel Gafford scored 20 points against the Warriors on Mar 23, 2026 in 31:30: 8-of-8 from the field, 4-of-8 on free throws (50.0%). Coming in, Gafford had averaged 9.3 points on 5.7 shots in 21.9 minutes, from 49 regular-season games. By Game Score it was the 3rd-best of the 50 games the source holds this season. Points by shot type, against the usual: two-pointers 16 (7.4), free throws 4 (1.9). Gafford played 31:30 against a usual 21.9 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 26.2, against a usual 15.9. Assists: 5, against a usual 1.0. At home against the Warriors, the Mavericks lost 137-131. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Gafford in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (49 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 31:30 | 21.9 | +9.6 |
| Points | 20 | 9.3 | +10.7 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 8-of-8 | 5.7 · 64.8% | +2.3 |
| FTA · FT% | 8 · 50.0% | 2.6 · 72.2% | +5.4 · -22.2 |
| Rebounds | 7 | 7.0 | 0.0 |
| Assists | 5 | 1.0 | +4.0 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1.3 | -1.3 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 49 games | 16.6 | 15.6 | +1.0 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 26.2 | 15.9 | +10.3 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (49 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twos | 16 (8-of-8) | 7.4 (3.7-of-5.7) | +8.6 |
| Free throws | 4 (4-of-8) | 1.9 (1.9-of-2.6) | +2.1 |
| Total | 20 | 9.3 | +10.7 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
22.9 against a usual 9.6 (+13.3)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +9.5 |
| Rebounds | -0.2 |
| Assists | +2.8 |
| Steals and blocks | +0.1 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +1.1 |
| Total | +13.3 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
3rd-best Game Score of the 50 games the source holds this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Mavericks lost 137-131 at home against the Warriors.
- Previous appearance: Mar 21, 2026, 2 days earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Warriors this season: 6 points (Dec 25, 2025).
- The source holds fewer Mavericks games than this season has, so season highs, lows and ranks count only the games it holds.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.