The Dallas Mavericks have a chance to finish the job in the 2024 Western Conference finals as soon as this Tuesday when they play the Minnesota Timberwolves for the fourth game of their series. The Mavs are on the verge of sweeping Minnesota, which can be expected to go all out as it looks to extend the series and have a chance to play another game at home. A number of Dallas players are on the NBA's injury report heading into Game 4, including impactful Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II.
The question is this: Is Dereck Lively II playing tonight vs. the Timberwolves?
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Dereck Lively II injury status vs. Timberwolves
It can be recalled that the former Duke Blue Devils big man got knocked out of the remainder of the Mavericks' 116-107 win at home in Game 3 on Sunday. Lively was inadvertently hit in the head by Timberwolves star big man Karl-Anthoyn Towns in the second quarter of that contest. Lively spent some time on the floor after absorbing the hit. He was initially deemed questionable to return to the contest before getting ruled out with a neck sprain.
Lively was playing well in Game 3, even making all his first three shots from the field to rack up six points along with three rebounds, two assists, and a block. He did all that in just nine minutes of action on the floor. For what it's worth, Lively has yet to miss a shot in the Western Conference finals in which he is 13/13 from the field overall and 3/3 from the free throw line. He is also averaging 9.7 points and 7.7 rebounds.
Lively, who was the 12th pick overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, has been a perfect fit alongside heliocentric Dallas weapons Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. He doesn't need to have the ball in his hands a lot to make a big impact on the game, as his combination of size, athleticism, and mobility allow him to get to spots where Irving and Doncic could locate him for high-percentage attempts. That can be further evidenced by the fact that Lively leads all Dallas players with regular minutes in this postseason with a 118.1 offensive rating. That is also the case defensively, as he paces qualified Dallas players in the playoffs with a 103.4 defensive rating.
He has also been a possession monster for the Mavericks. Lively is leading the Mavs so far in the 2024 NBA Playoffs with 2.7 offensive rebounds per game.
To underscore how effective Lively has been as a weapon alongside Mavericks superstars, the three-man lineup of Irving, Doncic, and Lively in this postseason has a brilliant 120.7 offensive rating and 98.4 defensive rating through 241 minutes together on the floor.
While the official injury report hours before Game 4 had Lively listed as doubtful, he is now officially downgraded to out.
. That could mean that the likes of Daniel Gafford, Dwight Powell, and even Maxi Kleber will have expanded roles this Tuesday night. Kleber has not played since the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers but has been upgraded to questionable ahead of the potential closeout game against the Timberwolves.
So, when it comes to the question of if Dereck Lively II is playing tonight vs. the Timberwolves, the answer is no.
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