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Dereck Lively (Source: X)
Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks center, walked away from their 116-107 playoff win against the Timberwolves after receiving an accidental knee to the back of his head from Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns.
The incident occurred during the second quarter, with Dallas leading 43-33. Lively slumped backward towards the court after arguing Mike Conley's missed jump jumper. As he tumbled to the ground, the back of his head collided with Towns' right knee as Towns tried to retrieve the rebound.
Dereck Lively II head pulled forward, and he stayed down on the court for a few seconds. He was ultimately able to stand and exit the court with the assistance of his teammates. He was dizzy and went directly to the changing room.
Dallas Mavericks categorized him as doubtful at halftime due to a neck strain before declaring him out in the third quarter. He left the stadium after the game to have a scan to establish the severity of his neck strain, according to sources. He was not part of the NBA's concussion protocol as of Sunday night.
Dereck Lively II in playoffs have helped Dallas Mavericks
According to reports on Monday morning Lively's neck tests were "OK," but the Mavericks labelled him as "doubtful" for Game 4. Along with the immediate concern about his health, Lively's absence on Sunday and maybe in the future is a huge blow to the Mavericks.
Lively, the 12th choice in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Duke, has been a revelation for the Mavericks, contributing significantly to their run to the Western Conference Finals. Lively, an All-Rookie team pick, averaged 8.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 blocks off the bench in 14 postseason games before Sunday.
His defence and presence in the playoffs have helped Dallas progress past the Los Angeles Clippers and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs. Dallas led the series 2-0 after winning the first two games in Minnesota. On Tuesday night, the Mavericks will play Game 4 at home with the chance to seal the series victory.