Dallas Mavericks Exclusive: Dereck Lively II Embraces 'Energy, Emotion' of NBA Playoff Debut vs. Clippers

Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II shares his excitement before making his NBA playoff debut against the LA Clippers.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II preparing for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the LA Clippers. /

LOS ANGELES — Before playing his first NBA playoff game, Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II expressed his excitement about facing the Los Angeles Clippers in such a high-stakes matchup.

"The energy, emotion out there, the competition," Lively told MavericksGameday about what he looks forward to during his postseason debut.

Lively's influence on the Mavericks' season proved instrumental in the team's going from a 38-44 record to achieving a 50-win season and clinching a playoff spot. He's provided a needed rim protection presence, active rebounder, and high-efficiency finisher, averaging 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks this season.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II preparing for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the LA Clippers. /

Lively was sidelined for the Mavericks' final eight games of the regular season due to a right knee sprain. However, over a week of knowing about facing the Clippers as their first-round opponent afforded Lively a preparation period reminiscent of his season with Duke.

"I feel like it was good, you know, it takes me back to the college days, where you have like a weak to prepare for a game instead of just going from day to day and just changing your schedule, changing your mindset of the game."

With the Mavericks competing in a postseason setting, Lively emphasized the importance of every possession and taking the game personally as he takes pride in making a positive impact.

"Now it's really just coming down to just a possession by possession," Lively said. "Every play matters in the playoffs and we know we got to be able to take that personally, for sure."

The Mavericks have benefited from the midseason trade acquisition Daniel Gafford, who has since emerged as the team's starting center. Lively shared how it's been beneficial to gain reps alongside him on a daily basis since the midseason move.

"Just being able to have someone like that, he's older, he's been through the league for many more years than I have," Lively said. "It's being able to have that and stronger, he knows a little bit more about the game, there's a little bit more things that he's been given—different situations he's been able to put himself in that haven't been in. Being able to ask questions, been able to learn and be able to grow."

When the Mavericks went through their final practice before facing the Clippers in the postseason on Saturday at USC, Lively was going through a workout station working on faceup footwork with Gafford and player development coach Tim Grgurich. It served as a glimpse of that daily process being beneficial to Lively's development.

"It just really comes down to whenever we catch him, whenever Luka gets doubled, Kyrie gets doubled, it's just playing out of that pocket and just being poised," Lively said. "There's a lot of times where we get caught speeding up too fast or moving our feet too fast. We're not catching up with our body, but it's just catching it, being slow, being able to make the right read."

The player development process is year-round, even when the Mavericks are in the postseason. He emphasized the most significant area in his development has been preparation, something that'll be put to the test in the postseason with such a high stakes situation.

"Preparation," Lively said. "When it comes to watching film before games comes to studying film before games."

A few specific focuses for Lively remain his positioning within the flow of the game to maximize his impact for the offense, whether he's filling the dunker spot or playing in the middle of the floor. He also remains focused on adding counters to his game when making a move is high on the list.

"Figuring out what position you're going to be in, try to exploit those positions, trying to figure out if I'm going to be in this was if I'm going to be in the dunker," Lively said. "How can I get the ball in the middle or if I'm going to get the ball, what's the counter to my counter to my counter."

The outcome of Lively gaining postseason exposure in his first season serves as a true testament to the immediate nature of his impact, along with the ongoing progression the Mavericks have achieved as a team while building around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.