Tag: Dereck Lively II

Mavs’ Jason Kidd: Dereck Lively II unlikely to play on Thursday vs. Knicks

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said that Dereck Lively II is unlikely to join the team on their current three-game road trip.

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said rookie Dereck Lively II is unlikely to join the team on its current three-game road trip after undergoing a medical procedure.

Lively was diagnosed with a nasal fracture after he was inadvertently struck in the face by Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. on Jan. 29. He underwent a procedure on Monday to reset his nose and is expected to return to the court soon.

The 12th pick missed his fourth straight game on Tuesday due to the injury. He has remained in Dallas following the procedure and will likely sit on Thursday against the New York Knicks.

“We’ll make that decision tomorrow, but I think it is leaning toward he won’t be on this trip,” Kidd said of Lively prior to facing the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.

Lively practiced with the Mavericks on Friday for the first time in a protective mask. He will likely need it once he is cleared to play after the surgery and could be required to keep it on for the foreseeable future to prevent further damage.

The 19-year-old has started 35 of his 36 games, averaging 9.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 assists on 73.9% shooting from the field. He ranks among the rookie leaders in several categories: Points (10th), rebounds (second), offensive rebounds (first) and blocks (third).

Lively was among the 11 first-year players selected to participate in the NBA Rising Stars game at All-Star Weekend. He became the first Mavericks player picked to compete in the annual showcase since Luka Doncic in 2019 and 2020.

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NBA Rising Stars 2024: Full rosters revealed in draft announcement

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 as part of All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40. The championship game will be played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The 21 players in the NBA will be drafted onto three teams. The seven players in the G League will comprise the fourth team.

The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches. The players from the G League were selected by the league office. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and a sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position.

Hall of Famer Pau Gasol will return as one of the four honorary head coaches for the event. Joining Gasol are Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Indiana Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who will lead the G League team.

Here are the rosters drafted by Gasol, Catchings and Rose.

Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II to undergo procedure to reset broken nose

Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II will undergo a medical procedure to correct a nasal fracture suffered on Jan. 29 in a win over the Magic.

Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II will undergo a medical procedure on Monday to correct a nasal fracture suffered on Jan. 29 in a win over the Orlando Magic.

Lively sustained the injury late in the fourth quarter after Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. inadvertently struck him in the face while attempting to swipe toward the ball. Lively remained in the game after Carter was assessed a flagrant-1 foul.

The 12th pick has missed the past two games for the Mavericks and will not travel with the team on its upcoming three-game road trip beginning Monday in Philadelphia. His status for the rest of the trip will be determined following the procedure.

“We’ve got to get through the procedure first,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said. “I think there will be (an update) after the procedure if he is going to travel. Let’s make sure everything goes well with the procedure.”

Lively practiced with the Mavericks on Friday for the first time in a protective mask. He will likely need it once he is cleared to play after the surgery and could be required to keep it on for the foreseeable future to prevent further damage.

However, Lively isn’t a fan of it.

“I wouldn’t wish that upon my worst enemy,” Lively said. “But you’ve got to be able to go through the highs and lows and just work through it. I gave it a shot of being able to wear the mask and try to adjust it and feel like how it’s going to be on the court.”

Lively appeared to have no hard feelings toward Carter following the play. Carter immediately checked on Lively afterward on the court and even sent him a message on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Lively has started in 35 of his 36 games, averaging 9.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 assists on 73.9% shooting from the field. He ranks among the rookie leaders in several categories: Points (10th), rebounds (second), offensive rebounds (first) and blocks (third).

The 19-year-old was among the 11 first-year players selected to participate in the NBA Rising Stars game at All-Star Weekend. He became the first Mavericks player to compete in the annual showcase since Luka Doncic in 2019 and 2020.

“Being able to be fortunate enough to be given this chance is amazing,” Lively said. “At the beginning of the season, if you told me I’d be able to get this far, I would have been like, ‘No way.’ I wouldn’t have imagined it, so just being able to know I’m going to this game, I’m excited to be a part of the atmosphere and get to know everybody.”

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Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Hornets’ Brandon Miller rises up past Chet Holmgren

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2023-24 season.

Over half of the NBA season is in the books as teams and players around the league look ahead to the trade deadline and All-Star break in the next two weeks.

The trade chatter figures to ramp up considerably before the deadline on Feb. 8, with several teams expected to be active. The impending rumors and other speculation should once again create plenty of storylines to watch over the next several days.

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The league announced the All-Star starters for each conference last week and will unveil the reserve players on Thursday. Though there likely won’t be a rookie announced as an All-Star, the class will be well-represented during the NBA Rising Stars game on Feb. 16.

To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but to illustrate the best players week to week.

NBA Rising Stars 2024: Player pool revealed for annual showcase at All-Star Weekend

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 at All-Star Weekend.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 as part of All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40. The championship game will be played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The 21 players in the NBA will be drafted onto three teams and the seven players in the G League will comprise the fourth team.

The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches. The players from the G League were selected by the league office. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and a sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position.

Hall of Famer Pau Gasol will return as one of the four honorary head coaches for the event. Joining Gasol are Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Indiana Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who will lead the G League team.

Assistant coaches from the NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs will join the honorary head coaches in coaching the Rising Stars teams. The NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs for both the Eastern and Western Conferences have yet to be determined.

TNT will televise the competition beginning at 9 p.m. EST.

Report: Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II off limits in trade discussions

After a strong start with the Mavericks, Dereck Lively II is reportedly unavailable in trade discussions ahead of the deadline on Feb. 8.

After a strong start with the Dallas Mavericks, rookie Dereck Lively II is reportedly unavailable in trade discussions ahead of the deadline on Feb. 8, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Mavericks have had exploratory trade calls with teams and are reportedly looking to acquire a forward who can help increase their chances of making a deep playoff run. They are expected to evaluate the roster before the deadline and determine if a trade is needed.

The team has several players on the roster it can include in a potential trade offer, but the front office is unwilling to include Lively, the 12th pick out of Duke.

Mavericks center Dereck Lively has drawn trade interest from rival teams, but Dallas has told those who’ve called he’s not for sale, league sources told HoopsHype.

Lively has started in 30 of his 31 games, averaging 8.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 assists on 73.5% shooting from the field. He ranks among the rookie leaders in several categories: Rebounds (second), offensive rebounds (first) and blocks (third).

The 19-year-old has emerged as a key player for the Mavericks. He has made a tremendous impact on games, given his presence in the paint and ability to protect the paint with 42 total blocks. He has also earned the respect of his teammates, who have praised the 7-footer often.

Lively certainly has a bright future, and it isn’t surprising the organization has no willingness to trade him. They have been better with him in the lineup and want to keep him around for the foreseeable future.

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Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Wemby retakes No. 1 amid minutes restriction

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2023-24 season.

The schedule has reached the midway point of the 2023-24 season, as most teams around the NBA have played in at least half of their games to this point.

The halfway mark of the season serves as a milestone of sorts for the rookie class. Players who have appeared in most of their games have likely already surpassed their previous career high for games in a season, given that college teams typically play fewer than 40 games a year.

As cliche as it may be, the group could soon begin to hit the infamous rookie wall with the rigors of the schedule and other obstacles factoring into play. In other words: The second half will serve as a litmus test to see who is prepared for the stretch run.

To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but to illustrate the best players week to week.

‘He is doing a phenomenal job’: Dereck Lively II returns with impressive effort in victory

Dereck Lively II returned from a five-game absence and had a productive outing to help the Mavericks defeat the Pelicans.

Rookie Dereck Lively II returned from a five-game absence and had a productive outing on Monday to help the Dallas Mavericks defeat the New Orleans Pelicans.

Lively recorded six points, 12 rebounds and one assist in 26 minutes in the 125-120 win at American Airlines Center. He hauled in seven offensive rebounds in the contest, including three in the fourth quarter, to help the Mavericks complete the comeback.

The Mavericks overcame an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit and did so thanks to Lively’s effort to create extra possessions. On one sequence, Lively pulled down two offensive rebounds, which led to a 3-pointer by Tim Hardaway Jr.

The effort didn’t go unnoticed by coach Jason Kidd.

“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,” Kidd said. “For his first game back for a while, I thought he did great and we missed him. We’re happy that he is back.”

Lively returned to the starting lineup after suffering a sprained left ankle on Jan. 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers. He also missed four games last month due to an injury to the same ankle, which led to him wearing a walking boot for some time.

He was happy to be back on the court with his teammates.

“It was terrible sitting on the sideline throughout that injury just working my body back,” Lively said. “It feels good to be back out there with my family, being able to move the ball around and trust each other. It feels great to build that chemistry again.”

Lively has started in 29 of his 30 games, averaging 8.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 assists on 72.7% shooting from the field. He ranks among the rookie leaders in several categories: Rebounds (second), offensive rebounds (second) and blocks (third).

The 19-year-old has emerged as a key player for the Mavericks. He has given the team a tremendous presence in the paint and has helped protect the paint with 42 total blocks on the season.

“He means so much to this team,” said Hardaway, who had a season-high 41 points. “He does an amazing job of clogging up the paint, talking on defense, blocking shots. He is a really great anchor down there for us on the defensive end and helps us tremendously. … He is really doing a phenomenal job.”

Lively has earned praise from several teammates for his effort throughout the year. The words of encouragement have helped him maintain his confidence on the court and work to elevate his game to the next level to help the team even more.

“It is an amazing feeling, but it doesn’t mean you can be satisfied with just hearing that,” Lively said. “Just because I feel like an important piece doesn’t mean I can take my foot off the gas. It makes me want to get in the gym and work harder, because of what I’ve done so far, if they like that, it just means I can keep growing and keep showing more.”

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Mavericks’ Jason Kidd: Dereck Lively II suffered mild ankle sprain

Dereck Lively suffered a sprained ankle in the third quarter after he appeared to step on the foot of Scoot Henderson.

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said rookie Dereck Lively II suffered a mild left ankle sprain on Wednesday in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Lively suffered the injury midway through the third quarter when he appeared to step on the foot of Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson while driving toward the basket. He was helped off the court and eventually ruled out of returning.

He recorded four rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals.

Kidd said Lively and Grant Williams, who also suffered a sprained ankle, would receive treatment for their injuries, and the team would see how they felt on Thursday. They host the Trail Blazers on Friday.

Lively missed time after spraining that ankle on Dec. 16, which, coincidentally, happened against the Trail Blazers. He was placed in a walking boot and returned after missing four games.

The 12th pick has emerged as a key player with the Mavericks.

He has started in 28 of his 29 games, averaging 8.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 assists on 72.3% shooting from the field. He ranks among the rookie leaders in several categories, including points (10th), rebounds (fourth) and blocks (third).

“We feel for him,” said Kyrie Irving, who had 29 points. “We feel for Grant, but especially for our young fella. He has been dealing with the reality of the NBA season: Anything can happen. You can go down with an injury any game. It is tough on anyone, mentally. I know it is tough on him because he knows how important he is for our team.”

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Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Scoot Henderson is proving himself as a top pick

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2023-24 season.

The calendar has flipped to 2024, and the rookie class is finding its groove on the court; several first-year players are performing at a high level this season.

The top two picks, Victor Wembanyama and Brandon Miller, along with the second pick from 2022, Chet Holmgren, have had strong starts to their careers. Scoot Henderson, the third selection last year, also looks to be settling in after recovering from an ankle injury.

Further down the draft board, several other players have had great moments with their respective teams. These players have produced on teams in the playoff picture and on teams likely headed toward the lottery.

To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but to illustrate the best players week to week.