The Dallas Mavericks have been in the spotlight since the trade deadline, as they have won five of the seven games played by Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, with their most recent victory coming against the Toronto Raptors.
Washington and Gafford give the Mavs significant boards and defense, and Dallas looks to be a team that can contend for a championship in this season's NBA Finals. They have solved their lack of size issue and the team is getting healthy at the perfect time.
The Mavs' final rotation for the playoffs has yet to be determined, but some players may need to play more and others may need to play less.
Dallas still needs to figure out the exact roles they want Gafford and Washington to play, but they seem to be getting more accustomed to playing for the Mavs with each game.
Here are four Mavericks players who will need more playing time in the final stages of the season, and four players who will need less playing time.
Dallas Mavericks rookie big man Derek Lively II has become a key piece in the rotation this season, quickly becoming Luka Doncic's favorite lob target.
Lively II is a great rim protector and rebounder, and his energy is contagious. Despite all of this, Lively II hasn't played much since returning from a broken nose. Lively II averaged 27.4 minutes per game in January, and 17.5 minutes per game in February.
A lot of that will depend on the matchup, but he's sure to remain a key piece of the Mavs' rotation. Dallas is at its best when Lively II is flying around the floor, blocking shots, and catching lobs, but it's clear he needs to play a little more.
He has enough foot movement to switch on the perimeter, and his length and athleticism allow him to bounce back when he gets beat.
