Dereck Lively II Brings Mavs Major Boost During Return from Injury vs. Pelicans

Mavs rookie Dereck Lively II made his presence felt in his return to the team's lineup against the Pelicans after missing five games due to an ankle injury.

DALLAS — Dereck Lively II returned to the Dallas Mavericks lineup on Monday after a five-game absence caused by a left ankle sprain. He provided six points, 12 rebounds, and one assist in 26 minutes, helping the Mavs to achieve a 125-120 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. The team is now 20-10 in games he plays while being 4-7 when he's sidelined. 

“It feels great. It was terrible to sit on the sideline throughout the injury," Lively said. "Just working it [his ankle] back and working my body back ... It feels good to be out there with my family. It just feels great to be back out there building that chemistry again.”

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Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr. combined for a dominant scoring night with 83 points; Irving had 42, while Hardaway scored 41. It was just the second occurrence in franchise history when two players scored 40 or more in the same game, with Irving and Luka Doncic accomplishing the feat last season. Lively was glad to just keep feeding the hot hand and focus on doing the dirty work. 

“Man … Give them the ball and find the hot hand," Lively said. "Having players like that on the floor makes it that much easier to play offense, and that much better whenever we get the transition going or anything like that. You just got to find the open man. Just find the hot hand.”

Despite providing a clear interior presence in his first game back, Lively admitted he still wasn't at his "peak" physically. He made clear that as long as he's on the floor, he's going to make his presence felt as the rim protector in the backline of the defense.

“I feel good. I’m not at my peak movement. I can definitely say that I’m definitely not going to be a hazard out there. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m going to be able to back everybody up and move my feet, talk [on defense], and cover the rim.”

The Mavs received a substantial boost from Lively, particularly on the offensive boards, accounting for seven of his 12 total rebounds. In his first game back in the lineup from injury, he tied his career-high in offensive rebounds. Dallas went from being at a double-figure disadvantage in second-chance scoring against the Pelicans on Saturday to holding an edge of that level with Lively back. 

“That’s my job, do the dirty work and clean it up," Lively said. "I know my team missed me, so my first game back was definitely a star on my head – bring second-chance opportunities or just try to find the open shot. I felt like we did a great job of moving the ball around and did a great job of bringing physicality and bringing energy.”

The impact Lively had on the Mavs' rebounding on offense and defense was highlighted by Mavs coach Jason Kidd, particularly by providing extra scoring chances in pivotal late-game moments. They went from trailing 111-106 with 5:05 left in regulation to overtaking a 112-111 lead because Lively grabbed an offensive rebound that led to a made 3-pointer multiple trips down the floor, including a sequence when he grabbed multiple on one possession before Hardaway hit the initial 3-pointer of this sequence down the stretch. 

"We didn't run him into the ground this afternoon. But his offensive rebounds — they gave us second opportunities — and then his defensive rebounds were huge for us, which we missed in that first game," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. "I thought late in the game, he came up with some great opportunities for us to get second or third opportunities at the basket, which we needed. Just his presence on the floor — the guys trust him. For his first game back for a while, I thought he did great. We missed him, and we're happy that he's back."

Lively's teammates were very happy to have him back on the floor, regaining the physical presence he provides at 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan and the vocal communication that comes with his approach as the rim protector. Hardaway called Lively a "great anchor" for the team, commending the help of assistant coach Tyson Chandler and teammate Dwight Powell for helping his development. 

“The fourth quarter? The whole game. Jesus. I mean, he means so much to this team and this organization," Hardaway said. "He does an amazing job of clogging up the paint, talking on defense, blocking shots. He is a really great anchor for us down there on the defensive end. He helps us tremendously, especially working with T.Y. [Tyson Chandler], Dwight, who has been a running mate with Luka during his time here in Dallas. DLive has been a sponge, really listening to those two. He is really doing a phenomenal job.”

One factor to consider, in the Mavs' loss against the Pelicans on Saturday, the team couldn't handle Valanciunas down low, particularly when they went with a super-small lineup with Grant Williams at the five throughout stretches of the game. The team was getting blasted when Valancinuas was doubled on post touches, resulting in wide-open for 3-pointers and attacks, including being a factor in Jordan Hawkins scoring a career-high 34 points. None of that was a problem with Lively.

Another element of Lively's performance was his being back on the floor, which continued his development. Despite having moments dealing with foul trouble, The Mavs kept him on the floor to work through it, which he certainly managed to do. 

“This definitely isn’t the start of that process, either," Lively said. "There have been a couple of times that I’ve been in foul trouble during a close game. He [Head Coach Jason Kidd] has let me into a game, let me finish it out. It is being able to have that trust with the coaches and with my teammates to know that if I’m in foul trouble, I need to have a little bit more help, or I might not be able to ‘show’ as much, but that just kind of changes the coverage a little bit. But having that IQ makes us a better team.”

Irving emphasized the value of Lively gaining reps throughout his rookie season as he continues to get comfortable with the nightly demands of the NBA. As a point guard, Irving emphasized how he and the team must make the most of having Lively on the floor by utilizing him as a rim roller to keep him fully engaged on both ends. 

"He just needs reps. He just needs reps. He's coming off a college season where he's only played 30 games or so, and he's coming into the men's league where night-to-night people are getting ready to play against him, scheme for him knowing that it's going to be a huge factor in the game and they try to stop him," Irving said of Lively. "But I think if he's able to find opportunities hitting the offensive glass and continue to set good screens we find him on certain rolls. 

"Like I got to get him a lot earlier in the game just to make sure he stays engaged and he stays active. That's just my job as a point guard. I can make his life a lot easier out there especially coming back from injury," Irving explained. "I just don't want to put too much pressure on him, but I know he's going to do that himself. When he brings that edge, it helps out our team. So just want to keep helping him."

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There has been a growing connection between Lively and Irving, as well as the other threats who play out of dribble handoffs and pick-and-roll with the rookie big man, throughout the season. It seems almost every game now, Irving is being top-locked, and he counters with a backdoor cut, with Lively finding him on the pass on time with an accurate delivery. Irving praised how Lively's playmaking continues to grow. 

"His playmaking is definitely improving game-to-game, and I think we're getting used to playing on the same court together where I don't necessarily have to come off all those dribble handoffs," Irving said of Lively. "He can really utilize me as a screener or as a backdoor threat and just reading multiple options out of the defensive schemes that the other teams are putting against us."

With Lively effectively reading how defenses are playing his teammates, whether it's Irving, Doncic, or even Hardaway, for example, it enables the Mavs to have counters they can quickly get into. Irving emphasized the value of it, highlighting how they are able to flow into a third or fourth action when needed as a result. 

"That's the key right now is being able to play, not the first action, but probably the third or fourth so we can get a great shot," Irving said. 

At 19, Lively has a comprehensive understanding of not only his responsibilities but of the game of basketball as a whole to a rare degree, particularly for a big man. He's already thinking about the many layers or the next few steps that come with how the progression of a play reads before it plays out, with the reads he must make as the dribble handoff big countering Irving being top-locked as just an example. 

"If they do A, you got to do B," Lively said. "If they're top locking [Irving], he's going to cut backdoor, try to post up, or try to get a backdoor lob, or he's going to come back up and try to get another screen so that he can get the ball. And we've been building that chemistry the whole season. Whenever he gets the ball, I know his eyes, I know his eye movement. 

"I know he wants to go and what spots he's trying to get to," Lively explained. "Whenever he's out there playing with the ball, I know he's just going to get around his man. So I got to be able to back it up whenever he either misses a shot or gets stuck so I can get him out of it."

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Lively isn't the only member of the frontcourt to recently return to the lineup. He started alongside Maxi Kleber to provide more size to counter the Pelicans' combination of Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas after the team struggled even to handle New Orleans when the team had just Valanciunas the game prior. 

“Love it. It gives me some help, too," Lively said of Kleber. "Being able to know that I have another person to back me up if I can’t get down the floor on a fast break, he’s there. He got a great block today. He’s always talking, and he brings a lot of energy.” 

The long-term benefit of having Lively back in the mix is clear for his development, but so is the necessary element of having his presence for immediate success. It's clear to opponents the value Lively provides the Mavs, with C.J. McCollum being just the latest veteran rival to highlight it. 

"He rebounds the ball extremely well," McCollum said of Lively. "He’s a good roller, so you have to be prepared for him. Those pick-and-rolls with Kai, he gave them energy, gave them life, second chances, and those things hurt us tonight.”