Yardbarker
x
Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II joins Magic Johnson, David Robinson in NBA history with monster Game 6
Image credit: ClutchPoints

Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II joins Magic Johnson, David Robinson in NBA history with monster Game 6

Originally posted on ClutchPoints  |  By Preston Byers  |  Last updated 5/19/24

The Dallas Mavericks are moving on to the Western Conference Finals for the second time in three years. And while Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving deserve immense credit for leading the Mavs back to the WCF, a lot of deserved praise is being thrown on the team’s rookie center, Dereck Lively II.

Lively, who was selected 12th overall in last year’s draft, was widely seen as a pick who had potential but still very raw after an underwhelming freshman season at Duke. The 20-year-old big man has more than lived up to expectations as a rookie, and he has continued to prove his value to the Mavericks in the postseason, and particularly, during the second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

All season long, the Thunder were criticized for a lack of strong interior presence. Game 6 served as possibly the best example of this, as Lively, who had recorded 11 points and 10 rebounds in Game 5, performed even better in the close-out game. Lively tallied 12 points and 15 rebounds, and 3 assists in the Mavericks’ 117-116 home victory, which put him in exclusive company with a pair of legends.

According to ESPN research producer Matt Williams (@StatsWilliams on X, formerly known as Twitter), Lively joins Magic Johnson and David Robinson as the only rookies in NBA history to have at least 10 points and 15 rebounds in a playoff elimination victory.

Mavericks teammates praise Dereck Lively II after big Game 6

While some NBA fans may be getting to see Lively for the first time, his coach Jason Kidd and Dallas Mavericks teammates have been praising the promising rookie all season long. That praise continued after Lively’s big Game 6, with multiple players explaining how invaluable Lively is to their team.

“We don’t win this series without D-Live,” Luka Doncic said after the game. “He’s been playing amazing. For a rookie not being scared, it’s insane how he played, the way he impacts the game. Just amazing, man.”

Doncic commended Lively again later in the night during his and Kyrie Irving’s press conference.

“He was amazing. I see here +25, +26 in a playoff game. It’s insane, man. He’s doing this while being a rookie. He has unbelievable potential. I’m just glad the Mavs drafted him,” Doncic said.

Derrick Jones Jr., who playfully joked with Lively after Game 5 about which of their names was the ‘correct’ spelling, alluded to the death of Lively’s mother in April after a long battle with cancer and how Lively has responded to the tragedy.

“It’s amazing. I know ‘lil bro going through a lot, and we all there for him,” Jones said. “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 know, and we are all there for him. We talk to him all the time. That’s my ‘lil homie, even though he’s a lot taller than me, that’s my ‘lil bro. I’d go to bat for D-Live any day.”

Lively and the Mavericks now await their Western Conference Finals opponents. The last time the Mavs made it this far, they faced the eventual champion Golden State Warriors. This year, they will face either the defending champion Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have not made it to the WCF since 2004, their only such appearance in franchise history.

Either way, the Mavericks will begin the series on the road on Wednesday in either Denver or Minneapolis.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.