The Dallas Mavericks have been phenomenal during the 2023-24 playoffs. However, while on their journey, they experienced a setback as one of their crucial players got injured during their Game 3 battle with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Mavericks’ rookie, Dereck Lively II, was hit on the back of his head and left the game. The Mavericks will have to cope without their star rookie in Game 4.
Dereck’s Impact in Mavericks Playoff Run
While the Mavericks’ center was on the floor in the paint, Karl-Anthony Towns, who was focused on getting the offensive rebound, hit Lively hard on his head. Dereck stayed on the floor for about five minutes, holding the back of his head. Afterward, the medical team assisted him out of the court, and he was replaced by Dwight Powell.
After the Dallas Mavericks clinched their Game 3 win against Minnesota, Daniel Gafford, who was on fire in the game, had a postgame interview with TNT where he assured listeners that Dereck Lively would be fine for Game 4. However, it didn’t turn out that way as the Dallas Mavericks reported that Lively had a sprained neck injury and would be sidelined for crucial Game 4.
The Dallas Mavericks will miss their center player, as most of their paint points come from Lively’s dunks and alley-oops. However, Gafford will miss Dereck more because they played harmoniously to help the Mavericks secure crucial rebounds, blocks, and steals.
Also, at the rim, Dereck Lively II helped the Mavericks handle the Wolves Giants – Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Naz Reid. As an impressive rookie, Lively averaged 8.5 points, 1.1 blocks, 7.1 rebounds, and 65.3% field goals during the playoffs, contributing to the Dallas victories.
How Will Dallas Play Without Lively?
Game 4 is looming, and the Timberwolves are hungry to force a Game 6 and tilt the odds in their favor. Thus, as Lively is out, this could be the Wolves’ chance to dominate this game. Powell will replace Lively and work with Gafford to synchronize with Daniel’s game rhythm.
Gafford will play more minutes than usual. With Maxi Kleber available, Powell didn’t participate in this season’s playoff tournament. Thus, as the Mavericks’ crucial Centers were sidelined due to injury, it gave the 6 ’10 footer a chance to make his 2023-24 playoff debut.
During the regular season, the forward played 63 games, averaging 3.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 67.9% in field goals. Also, his little playtime during game 3 was reflected in Dallas’ win.
Possible Good News for the Dallas Mavericks
Another possible replacement for Lively is Kleber, who was sidelined after their playoffs’ first round against the Los Angeles Clippers for a shoulder injury. After the Dereck Game 3 incident, the 6 ’10 footer’s injury status advanced to questionable, similar to Luka Doncic’s status.
During this playoff season, he averaged 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.5 blocks, and 0.2 steals before being injured. After the shootaround, Kleber explained: “It’s obviously not ideal, but we’re trying to get adjusted, see how it feels tonight; we made some big progress the last days, and then just go from there.” Therefore, if Kleber ends up not playing, Powell will be the Dallas Mavericks’ last resort.
About the Author
Wisdom is an email and brand copywriter with two years of content writing experience. He started Cloud Kitchen Concept to help startups and business owners elevate their brands from good to great. You can connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram to enjoy cooked meals for your business’s growth.
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