Lively posted nine points (3-3 FG, 3-6 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks over 25 minutes during Thursday's 124-103 win over Minnesota in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
Lively returned to action Thursday after missing Game 4 due to a neck injury. The rookie big man returned to his role of coming off the bench but splitting minutes at the center position with Daniel Gafford as a platoon. Lively averaged 9.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks in 22.0 minutes across his four appearances in the Western Conference Finals.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Available to play Thursday
Rotowire
Lively (neck) is available for Thursday's Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves.
Lively participated in the Mavericks' morning shootaround and underwent his routine in pre-game warmups, so it's unsurprising to see him available, as he looked active and had no apparent limitations in his movements. He'll likely see regular minutes off the bench, as he's logged 21.0 minutes per game in the current series while averaging 9.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Present at shootaround
Rotowire
Lively (neck) was present at the Mavericks' morning shootaround but remains questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Grant Afseth of SI.com reports.
After sitting out the Mavericks' Game 4 loss, Lively is viewed as a game-time decision ahead of Thursday's 8:30 p.m. ET tipoff, but it was encouraging to see him on the court for the team's morning shootaround. The Mavericks will likely monitor how his neck sprain feels leading up to the opening tip, while starting center Daniel Gafford should continue to see increased playing time if Lively is unavailable.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Considered game-time decision
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Lively (neck) is considered a game-time decision for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves on Thursday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Lively officially remains questionable, and he plans to test his neck in the hours leading up to tipoff before the Mavericks determine his status. He'd provide a boost for Dallas as the team attempts to close out the series, as he averaged 11.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in 27.0 minutes per game over the first two games of the Western Conference Finals.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Questionable for Game 5
Rotowire
Lively (neck) is questionable for Thursday's Game 5 against Minnesota.
Lively missed Game 4 due to his sprained neck, but he does appear to be trending in a positive direction. We should get another update following Thursday's morning shootaround, but if Lively is able to return, Daniel Gafford's minutes would dip and Dwight Powell could fall out of the rotation entirely.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Could return for Game 5
Rotowire
Lively (neck) could return as soon as Thursday's Game 5 against Minnesota, Shams Charania said on FanDuel's Run It Back.
Lively avoided the concussion protocol and is trending in a positive direction. If Lively can give it a go, Dwight Powell would be unlikely to crack the rotation and Maxi Kleber's floor would be a bit lower in fantasy formats. More clarity is expected on Wednesday afternoon after the Mavericks practice.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Ruled out for Game 4
Rotowire
Lively (neck) has been ruled out for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves on Tuesday, Chris Haynes of Turner Sports reports.
Lively was initially deemed doubtful for Tuesday's matchup due to his neck sprain, and he'll officially be forced to miss at least one game as the Mavericks attempt to close out the series. It's unclear whether Lively will be able to return if the Western Conference Finals continue past Tuesday or if the Mavericks advance to the NBA Finals, which begin June 6. Dwight Powell is a candidate to see increased playing time in Lively's absence.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Doubtful for Game 4
Rotowire
Lively (neck) is doubtful for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves on Tuesday.
Lively sustained a neck sprain during Sunday's Game 3 and was unavailable down the stretch. He wasn't seen at Monday's practice session and will likely be sidelined Tuesday as the Mavericks attempt to advance to the NBA Finals. If Dallas wins Game 4 to complete the sweep, Lively will have over a week to rest before the NBA Finals begin June 6.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Status for Game 4 unclear
Rotowire
Tests on Lively's neck came back clean, but his availability for Tuesday's Game 4 against Minnesota remains unclear, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
The initial diagnosis for Lively was a sprained neck, and the center will continue to be evaluated Monday. More clarity is expected Monday evening, but for now, Lively should be considered questionable for Tuesday's Game 4.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Won't return to game
Rotowire
Lively (neck) has been ruled out for the remainder of Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota on Sunday.
Lively sustained a neck sprain in the second quarter of Sunday's matchup after taking a knee to the back of the head, and he'll be unavailable down the stretch. Prior to his departure, he recorded six points (3-3 FG), three rebounds, two assists and a block in nine minutes. Whether he'll be available for Tuesday's Game 4 remains to be seen.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Deemed questionable to return
Rotowire
Lively is questionable to return to Sunday's Game 3 matchup against the Timberwolves due to a neck sprain, Mike Curtis of The Detroit News reports.
Lively was noticeably shaken up after taking a knee to the head and has been diagnosed with a neck sprain following initial testing. Dwight Powell will likely pick up minutes at the five if Lively is unable to return.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Suffers head injury
Rotowire
Lively suffered an apparent head injury with 8:35 remaining in the second quarter of Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves on Sunday, Mike Curtis of The Detroit News reports.
Lively took a knee to the back of the head and remained down for several minutes. He was helped to the locker room once he got up, but he was walking very gingerly. He'll presumably be evaluated for a concussion, and his status for the remainder of the game appears to be in jeopardy. Lively tallied six points (3-3 FG), three rebounds, two assists and a block in nine minutes prior to sustaining his injury.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Efficient off bench in Game 5
Rotowire
Lively totaled 11 points (3-4 FG, 5-6 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 23 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over the Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
Lively has been playing off the bench due to the solid play of Daniel Gafford down low, but the rookie out of Duke made his presence felt on both ends of the court Wednesday. Aside from missing just one shot from the field, Lively was active defensively and recorded the first playoff double-double of his career. Lively is averaging 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in the postseason, and while he looked very good in this pivotal win, he's not expected to move to a starting role ahead of Game 6 on Saturday.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Close to double-double in Game 6
Rotowire
Lively supplied 10 points (3-3 FG, 4-8 FT), nine rebounds, three assists and one steal across 24 minutes during Friday's 114-101 victory over the Clippers in Game 6 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Lively was perfect from the field, active on the glass and efficient in limited minutes. The rookie has shown he can be a valuable contributor on both ends of the court when called upon, but his fantasy upside won't be high if he continues to play off the bench.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Not listed on injury report
Rotowire
Lively (knee) is not listed on the injury report ahead of Sunday's game against the Clippers.
Coach Jason Kidd said Friday that Lively was trending in the right direction and was on track to play in Sunday's series opener, so this is not entirely surprising, though it does boost the team's depth in the frontcourt. Lively should see decent minutes off the bench, although Daniel Gafford is expected to be the starting center, as was the case down the stretch in the regular season.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Could miss extended period
Rotowire
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said Tuesday that Lively (knee) "could be out up two weeks," Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Lively had already been ruled out ahead of Tuesday's game at Golden State with right knee soreness, but the timeline provided by Kidd suggests that the rookie center could be in danger of missing the remainder of the regular season. For whatever length of time Lively is sidelined, Daniel Gafford could see a boost in playing time as the Mavericks' starting center, while Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell may also see expanded roles in Kidd's rotation.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Won't return Sunday
Rotowire
Lively is out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Rockets due to a right lower leg injury, Grant Afseth of SI.com reports.
Lively suffered an injury to his leg in the second quarter and was ruled out for the rest of the game shortly after halftime. He concludes Sunday's contest with two points (1-1 FG), two rebounds, two blocks and one steal in 13 minutes. The severity of the injury isn't clear at this point, but it was reassuring that he was able to return to the bench and watch the remainder of the game. He should be considered questionable for Tuesday's game against the Warriors.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Thrashes Chicago
Rotowire
Lively (personal) produced 22 points (11-12 FG), seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals across 20 minutes during Monday's 127-92 win over the Bulls.
Back in action after a one-game absence due to a personal matter, Lively came off the bench for his second appearance in a row, but that didn't stop him and starter Daniel Gafford to feast on the opposing centers. Lively and Gafford combined for 42 points on 20-for-21 shooting from the field, while both centers swatted two shots apiece. Gafford played 23 minutes compared to LIvely's 20, but against subpar opponents, that's enough playing time for both to turn in useful lines.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Not on injury report
Rotowire
Lively (personal) is absent from the Mavericks' injury report ahead of Monday's matchup with the Warriors.
Lively missed Saturday's game against the Pistons for personal reasons. He rejoined Dallas for Sunday's practice, which means this progression in his status makes sense. Barring any unforeseen setback, the big man should be available for his usual workload.
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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Listed out for personal reasons
Rotowire
Lively (calf) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Pistons due to personal reasons.
Lively appeared to suffer a calf issue late in the fourth quarter of Thursday's win over the Heat, but the injury doesn't appear on Dallas' official injury report. The rookie's next chance to suit up will come Monday in Chicago, while Daniel Gafford should start at center Saturday. Further clarity on Lively's status moving forward should surface over the weekend.
