Dereck Lively, the 20-year-old rookie, might not have been the highest-scoring Dallas Mavericks player during their second-round win over Oklahoma City, but he might have been the most important.
The former Blue Devil scored 12 points, making five of his six shots, and pulled down 15 rebounds in Saturday’s clinching game. The performance was his second straight double-double, and he tallied a plus-minus of +26 in the 117-116 victory.
By that last stat, one could argue Lively won the Mavericks the game. Star teammate Luka Doncic seemed to agree.
“We don’t win this series without D Live,” Doncic said during an on-court interview after the comeback win. “He’s been playing amazing. For a rookie, not being scared, it’s insane how he played, the way he impacts the game.”
When Doncic saw the +26 next to Lively’s name on the box score during post-game media, he put it in even simpler terms.
“I’m just glad the Mavs drafted him,” he added.
"We don't win this series without D Live."
Mavs rookie, Dereck Lively II, posted a playoff career-high 15 rebounds in Game 6 đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/jgFH3rOC16
— NBA (@NBA) May 19, 2024
Lively’s breakout performance came five weeks after he lost his mother to cancer. Another teammate, Derrick Jones Jr., made sure to point out that he knows the loss weighs heavily on the rookie.
“He makes it a lot easier for us because he comes to work and he comes in here with a smile on his face and he shows that he’s not bothered,” Jones said. “But we know and we are all there for him.”
Derrick Jones Jr. on his “lil bro” Dereck Lively II:
“It’s amazing. I know lil bro going through a lot, and we all there for him. He makes it a lot easier for us because he comes to work and he comes in here with a smile on his face and he shows that he’s not bothered, but we… pic.twitter.com/CpiCbXdlXW
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) May 19, 2024
The Mavericks await either the Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, four wins away from an NBA Finals appearance.