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Dereck Lively II started for the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers but could not finish the game. He managed to play only 19 minutes due to a sprained ankle. The rookie came out after contributing four rebounds, four assists, four blocks and two steals.
Lively injured the same ankle last month, causing him to miss four games. He didn’t look good after he rolled it for the second time this season. Two of his Mavericks teammates had to help him back to the bench and then to the locker room.
Dereck Lively II has started in 27 of the 28 games he has been available. He is averaging 9.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 assists. The former Duke standout has quickly turned out to be Luca Doncic’s favorite pick-and-roll partner. Doncic loves his aggressive rim-running ability.
Lively’s status may be known only after the game. He wasn’t likely to stay on the floor even if the game had been close. The lanky center had trouble moving from under the rim to the Dallas Mavericks bench.
When will Dereck Lively II return?
The Dallas Mavericks have six more games at home following Wednesday’s head-to-head against the Portland Trail Blazers. They will meet the Trail Blazers for a rematch on Jan. 5. Dereck Lively II’s status should be known by tomorrow.
When he will return will depend on the severity of the sprain. If it’s minor, he could be back after missing two or three games. Some could even return after one game. In some cases, though, it could take significantly more time to heal. Tyler Herro suffered an ankle sprain this season that caused him to miss games for over a month.
Jason Kidd made the right call in making Dereck Lively II the starting center
Maxi Kleber was the Dallas Mavericks starting center when they opened the season against the San Antonio Spurs. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd later told the media that he should have started Dereck Lively II. The rookie came off the bench to finish with 16 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal.
In Dallas’ second game of the season, which was versus the Brooklyn Nets, Kidd promptly adjusted. He inserted the rookie into the starting lineup and hasn’t taken him out since whenever he’s available to play.
Lively has had a roller-coaster ride but when he is healthy, he brings rim protection and rim-running ability that no other Dallas big man has. More importantly, he has developed an exciting chemistry with Luka Doncic.
Jason Kidd and Mavericks fans are hoping he ends up becoming like Tyson Chandler, one of Kidd’s teammates who helped the franchise win the championship in 2011.
