Tag: Dereck Lively

Dereck Lively shares message to late mother after advancing to Western Conference Finals

Just one month after losing his mother, former Duke basketball star Dereck Lively helped the Dallas Mavericks close out a playoff series. He shared a message for her afterwards.

Just one month after he lost his mother to cancer, former Blue Devil Dereck Lively earned the admiration of America with his 12-point, 15-rebound double-double to help the Dallas Mavericks clinch their second-round series with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

After a decade-long battle with cancer, Kathy Drysdale passed away on April 12. In a social media tribute after her death, Lively described her as his superhero.

“There is no one in this world that can love you more than your mother,” he wrote.

On Saturday night, Lively made five of his six shots from the floor and two of his three free-throw attempts during the victory. It was his second consecutive double-double, and he added a playoff-high three assists.

He earned a plus-minus of +26 during just 30 minutes on the floor, and the Mavericks won the game by a single point.

Shortly after the win, which advanced Dallas to the Western Conference Finals, Lively shared a short message on his Instagram.

“Love u momma. Miss u momma. Just sit back n watch,” Lively wrote.

Fans noticed Lively throw his arms to the sky and look up after the final buzzer, almost assuredly thinking of his mom as the victory sank in.

The Mavericks will play either the Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference championship series, and Lively is four wins away from his first trip to the NBA Finals.

Merriam-Webster shouts out Duke basketball alum Dereck Lively after playoff double-doubles

The entire basketball world watched Duke alum Dereck Lively II crash the boards for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA playoffs…including the dictionary?

A lot of NBA players have put up a double-double in the playoffs at some point in their careers, but how many have had the literal dictionary shout them out?

Dereck Lively, the former Duke Blue Devil and current member of the Dallas Mavericks, helped his team advance with a 117-116 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night in the sixth game of a best-of-seven series.

Lively posted 12 points and a staggering 15 rebounds, including 11 on the defensive glass, in the victorious effort. He had 11 points and 10 rebounds in Game 5, his first playoff double-double, just days before.

The performance earned admiration from the basketball world, but the highest compliment might have come from an unlikely spot: the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

The social media account for the famous handbook released a definition for the word ‘lively’ in response to the Duke star’s last name. How’d they define it? Check it out yourself.

Quick to rebound, indeed.

Lively, fellow Duke alum Kyrie Irving, and the Mavericks advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Duke’s loss to NC State emblematic of this season’s core issues with NCAA Tournament on horizon

Duke’s loss to NC State is more of the same from Duke this year. Is there enough time to fix the issues that have plagued the Blue Devils?

Thursday night was a rough pill for the Duke basketball program fans to swallow.

The Blue Devils were a trendy pick to make the ACC Tournament final at the very least and potentially set up a third matchup with their rivals, the UNC Tar Heels. What happened was a bit more shocking as NC State, a team playing its third game in as many days, was able to oust Duke from the tournament in the quarterfinals with a 74-69 win.

Losing hurts, but this most recent loss had a familiar stench. The Blue Devils started slow, played lackadaisical defense, and didn’t get the 50/50 balls to win the game. Duke’s trio of starting guards went a combined 7/28, which will not cut it in March.

If Duke’s loss felt familiar, it’s because it was. In their losses this year, they’ve showcased the same things that ailed them last night. Physically, the defensive effort and energy seemed to be lacking.

Last night was no different. State played physical defense, and Duke often had many drives to the basket that ended in missed opportunities because the Blue Devils anticipated fouls or hoped to be fouled.

On defense, Duke was slow to cut off drives, and in transition, there was a considerable lack of effort as guys half-heartedly got back and barely attempted to stop the ball. Duke was beaten to the ball for rebounds despite having multiple players in the area.

In the previous game against UNC, Duke came out flat and could never recover as UNC raced out to a 15-4 lead on Senior Night. Effort, energy, and defensive pride plagued Jon Scheyer’s team then.

That brings us to this question: Is it a player or coaching issue?

The truth is it lies somewhere in the middle. Jon Scheyer is a competitive guy, but he’s not the fiery coach that his predecessor was. At least, not yet. However, this year, his team has lacked the edge to fight back in a game like last night’s ACC quarterfinal loss. Against a desperate team fighting for its season, Duke needed to come out and bury them early. They came out slow, and then NC State gained confidence. Duke weathered the storm and took a late first-half lead, but it was short-lived.

Even though Duke went into the half down three, NC State came right back out and went on an 8-0 run before the under-16 media timeout. This Blue Devils team never finds that extra gear in games when they need it. There is no outright vocal leader on the court for Duke, and it shows. As far as we can see, there’s no one to galvanize the troops amongst the players.

How does Duke prepare for this year’s NCAA Tournament? They need to figure some things out, that’s for sure. Maybe it’s from the player-led meeting that was supposed to occur when Duke returned to Durham after the ACC Tournament to help clear the air. However, having meetings like that on March 15th, a week before the season’s biggest games, is eyebrow-raising. Where was the urgency for the meeting following their second straight loss to their biggest rival?

Scheyer is not without faults, either. He and his staff don’t have the most complete roster. Losing Dereck Lively and never finding a better option to play center via the portal is something he and his staff have to live with now. The lack of another functional big man to spell Kyle Filipowski and take pressure off of him defensively has impacted Duke’s defense and rebounding, too.

However, with the right draw and more effort from the guys in the locker room, Duke can beat many teams in the country in this upcoming NCAA Tournament. Will they? We’ll find out starting sometime next week.

Mavericks big Dereck Lively stole the show from Victor Wembanyama during their NBA debuts

This was exactly what the Mavericks needed from Dereck Lively.

Dereck Lively II never had more than 13 points during the entirety of his tenure as a big man in college at Duke.

Coming off the bench in his NBA regular season debut, he managed to score as many points midway through the third quarter. He finished with 16 points (7-of-8 FG, 2-of-3 FT) with 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and just one turnover.

But most importantly, meanwhile, he managed to play spoiler in San Antonio on the court against No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama as the Mavericks beat the Spurs on Opening Night. It was just a fantastic performance from the first-year big man.

RELATED: Meet Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively, the big man from Duke who is going to dominate on defense

Lively provided exactly what the doctor ordered for the Mavericks.

While his most elite trait is his rim protection, his offensive efficiency on scoring attempts near the basket is also incredibly important. He made an impact as a roll man in the pick and roll and cleaned up messes on offensive rebound putbacks.

He caught alley-oop passes from Luka Doncic (who had very high praise, although profane, about the rookie) and he had the highest plus-minus (20) of anyone on either team during the game.

This is exactly what Lively set out to do during his NBA debut. He told us:

“First game, first practice, first whatever, I’m just trying to go out there and be the most coachable player and try to be the best teammate and be able to be the best player on the court. No matter if that’s me diving out of bounds or diving on the floor to save a ball or making an extra pass or making an extra rebound or doing whatever it takes to win, I just want to go out there and show the world that no matter what it is I need to do. I’m going to do whatever it takes.”

Kudos to Lively for making a name for himself and helping his team win.

The rookie likely earned a spot in the starting lineup for sooner rather than later.

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10 NBA rookies make predictions for their first game before the season begins

There are so many great answers from this NBA rookie class.

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After completing their first offseason, a new class of NBA rookies are ready to step on the court to make their professional debuts.

While nothing can compare with the special moment of hearing their name called in the NBA Draft, it is assuredly a surreal feeling to have your lifelong dreams realized on the hardwood.

We spoke to 10 rookies from the 2023 draft class about all of the emotions they anticipate feeling once they officially begin their professional careers as NBA athletes.

Here is what each prospect said about what they expect when they play on the parquet courts in front of thousands of fans.

These interviews have been condensed and edited for clarity.

Meet Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively, the big man from Duke who is going to dominate on defense

We caught up with Duke’s Dereck Lively II.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published prior to the NBA Draft and has been updated.

Dereck Lively II was the top recruit in the nation coming out of high school in 2022. A year later, he will hear his name called in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Basketball is dominated by big men like NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic and NBA MVP Joel Embiid. Teams around the league need someone who can protect the paint. But how exactly does a team find someone who is capable of actually guarding someone like Jokic, Embiid or Anthony Davis?

The 19-year-old one-and-done prospect can answer those questions as an instantly impactful defensive-oriented big man. He is listed at 7-foot-1 and with a reported 7-foot-9 wingspan, which makes him the largest prospect in this class aside from Victor Wembanyama.

“I’m always somebody that you’re going to hear on the floor, no matter if that’s on offense or defense,” Lively told For The Win.

“I still have to be the kind of radio tower. Everybody sees me. Everybody can hear me. But I can see everything. I have to be able to navigate everybody on the court.”

The former McDonald’s All-American big man was named ACC All-Defensive and ACC-All Freshman after his one-and-done campaign for Duke. Now, he is a projected top-20 pick in our latest consensus mock draft.

Here are four important things you need to know about Lively.

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A March Madness men’s bracket prediction based on the best NBA talent in the tourney

Do you want to see as many NBA players play as many games as possible? Here is how!

March Madness is almost underway, and with the games beginning soon, you’re probably scrambling to get your bracket filled out.

It’s always great to follow along for Cinderella stories and potential upsets. Maybe you don’t want to fill out a bracket, and that’s perfectly okay. The odds of getting a perfect bracket are virtually impossible, anyway.

There are plenty of alternatives you can try to a traditional bracket, like a survivor pool. However, assuming you do want to fill out a bracket, we’ve got some tips!

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My pal, Charles Curtis, offered his bracket based on just 20 minutes of research. You can check out our brilliant staff’s actual predictions for March Madness, too.

But allow me to show you what a bracket would look like if we based it entirely on what would be the best-case scenario for NBA draft scouting. If you want to take a closer look and zoom in, you can click here.

THE BRACKETS ARE BACK: The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back. $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket.

The goal here was to get as many lottery picks playing as many games as possible. Here are some takeaways:

  1. Arkansas is the No. 8 seed in the West and they have a tough first-round opponent with Illinois. But they also have two likely lottery picks, Nick Smith Jr. and Anthony Black, and two other potential first-rounders with Ricky Council IV and Jordan Walsh. Let me see them play as many games as possible!
  2. Over the last few days, we’ve heard a buzz that Alabama’s Brandon Miller has “closed the gap” on projected No. 2 overall pick Scoot Henderson. If he continues to dominate during the Big Dance, we could see actual movement at the top of the draft.
  3. Duke is a No. 5 seed in the East and they have one of the toughest roads to the Final Four, especially with a challenging opening game against Oral Roberts. But they have three likely first-rounders here (Dariq Whitehead, Kyle Filipowski, and Dereck Lively II) and two more draftable prospects (Tyrese Proctor and Mark Mitchell) as well.
  4. Jarace Walker (Houston), Keyonte George (Baylor), Cason Wallace (Kentucky), Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana), Colby Jones (Xavier), Jordan Hawkins (UConn), Kris Murray (Iowa), Terquavion Smith (NC State), and Julian Phillips (Tennessee) are additionally notable prospects who will be dancing.

If you’re curious about these players, you can learn more about why these prospects are the best in the tournament on our rankings published earlier this week.

My best advice when you’re filling out a bracket is that the eventual winner who will tear down the nets is almost definitely going to be one of these eight teams.

But if you’re an NBA fan and just want to see as many future NBA players play as often as possible, this is the way you need to fill out your bracket instead.

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2023 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Wembanyama, Henderson on top; Freshmen rising in latest projections

Rookie Wire took a look at where the next draft class stands at the midway point of the season.

The 2022-23 basketball season is in full swing as the next wave of prospects across the college level and the professional ranks look ahead to the 2023 NBA draft on June 22.

Of course, Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson remain at the top of draft boards at the start of the new year. Both could shut down their seasons right now and still be viewed as the best two players in the class. In other words: They are locked in at Nos. 1 and 2.

Elsewhere, though, fortunes change seemingly nightly.

Several prospects have improved upon their preseason rankings, while others have struggled and had their stock fall. The latest look at the class even has several freshmen on the rise after some impressive performances through the first half of the year.

Rookie Wire took a look at where the first round stands at the midway point of the season. It is important to note that team needs were not necessarily taken into account with each pick. The projections are rather a look at where each individual player stands at this point of the process.

Note: The order of the draft was pulled from Tankathon as of Jan. 10. The draft will have only 58 picks this year because the Bulls and Sixers were stripped of their second-round picks by the NBA due to tampering violations.

2023 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: An early look at the top prospects next year

Rookie Wire took a very early look at the next rookie class and some of the top prospects to monitor over the course of the 2022-23 season.

With the basketball world over a month removed from the NBA draft, many have started to look ahead to the next rookie class and which prospects may be available.

The class is headlined by French phenom Victor Wembanyama, who is considered one of the top prospects in recent memory. He has performed well in the top basketball league in France and looks to already be locked in as the top pick in 2023.

Elsewhere, there are several other prospects that will be worth monitoring over the course of next season. The rankings will certainly change but it can be a productive exercise to see how prospects moved up and down draft boards ahead of next year.

Rookie Wire took a very early look at the next rookie class and some of the top prospects to monitor as the 2022-23 season approaches in a couple of months.

Note: The order of the draft was determined by the reverse championship odds set by Tipico Sportsbook. The 2023 draft will only have 59 picks after the Bulls were stripped of their second-round pick by the NBA due to a tampering violation involving the signing of Lonzo Ball.

Iowa reportedly set to square off against Duke in the 2022 Jimmy V Classic

Iowa will meet the Duke Blue Devils in the 2022 Jimmy V Classic. Here’s a look at the all-time series history and Duke’s projected starters.

The start of Iowa’s 2022-23 men’s basketball season is still every bit of five months away. Still, the Hawkeyes just received fantastic news with the return of forward Kris Murray to Iowa City.

Paired with several other decisions by Iowa players to either return or exit via the transfer portal, fans now have a pretty clear idea of what the Hawkeyes’ starting five and key reserves will look like entering next season.

Now, Iowa fans know they can book flights and start planning a trip to New York City for a battle against a blue blood.

CBS Sports and College Hoops Today’s Jon Rothstein reported that Iowa is set to meet the Duke Blue Devils in the 2022 Jimmy V Classic from historic Madison Square Garden. Rothstein also reported that the other game in the event is expected to feature the Texas Longhorns against the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Duke is one of the pillar programs in all of college basketball and will enter next season fresh off the Blue Devils’ 17th all-time appearance in the Final Four. Of course, legendary head coach Mike Krzyewski’s 13th and final Final Four appearance ended with the Blue Devils’ archrivals in the North Carolina Tar Heels sending Duke packing, 81-77.

The Kansas Jayhawks would go on to win the national championship over North Carolina, erasing a 16-point deficit in a historic second-half flurry for the largest title game comeback in NCAA Tournament history, topping the Tar Heels, 72-69.

In its history, Iowa has met up with Duke on eight different occasions. The Blue Devils lead the all-time series 7-1. The Hawkeyes and Blue Devils last played on Nov. 27, 2001, in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. It was not to be from the jump for an Iowa team led by guard Luke Recker and forward Reggie Evans.

Duke point guard Jason Williams scored 25 points, center Carlos Boozer added 22 and forward Mike Dunleavy chipped in with 18. The then-No. 1 and defending national champion Blue Devils routed Iowa, 80-62, inside the United Center.

Duke is set to replace some serious star power from last season’s Final Four team, but the Blue Devils have reloaded their roster with some serious talent. Here’s a look at the all-time series matchups between Iowa and Duke and a look at the Blue Devils’ projected starting five.