Pressure slowly builds in Dallas as Anthony Edwards & Co. delay their Finals entry. The Dallas Mavericks went without their rookie center Dereck Lively II in Game 4 and suffered a frustrating 100-105 defeat. The 20-year-old suffered a massive blow on the back of his head in Game 3 and was ruled out for Game 4 with a neck sprain. Speaking of his return for Game 5, the rookie had a mixed response.

Speaking to a reporter after the game, Lively II said, “It’s a day-to-day thing. I’m not trying to rush it. We will see.” Tonight, the rookie sat on the bench, cheering for the side, as Daniel Gafford did extra minutes to cover his absence. Lively had a solid impact on the side, especially in this series. He has recorded a 12-12 FG in the three games with 7.7 rebounds per game.

Unlike the other franchises, Mavs HC Jason Kidd didn’t approach Dereck Lively II as a backup center. He was very much part of the starting line-up. Kidd allotted 20 minutes each to Daniel Gafford and Lively throughout the series. It fetched them great results in the postseason. Gafford showcased his dominance on the defensive end, averaging 1.8 blocks per game, and Lively took care of the offensive end, with 8.5 points per game.

Nevertheless, Lively II’s grave injury in Game 3 brought everything to a halt. Gafford punched in more minutes than usual tonight, scoring 12 points with three blocks in his 31-minute stay. Kidd introduced Dwight Powell as the backup center for the game, but it didn’t seem to work, as he pulled him out after just 3 minutes.

Moreover, he managed the remainder of the game with the size advantage of PJ Washington, Maxi Kleber, and Josh Green. With the Wolves forcing Game 5, the Mavs can’t take the remainder of the series for granted.

Will Dereck Lively II’s absence affect the Mavs’ playoff run?

The Mavericks are just a win away from claiming their NBA Finals berth. The team mauled the TWolves with a 3-0 series lead, leaving them at bay. While it looked like the Mavs would have a cakewalk into the Finals, the Wolves reverted with a threatening win in Game 4. Importantly, a locker room report from Game 3 revealed that Anthony Edwards was in an upbeat mood after the loss and tried to motivate his teammates for Game 4.

Edwards is also said to have encouraged his teammates to just win one game at a time. Now that the Wolves have forced Game 5, the Mavs can’t relax any bit as the Wolves can turn things around. Especially in the series against the Denver Nuggets, after losing three games in a row, the Wolves had the necessity to win the two games to save themselves in the postseason. Guess what, they did the unthinkable and defeated the defending champions.

And, Dereck Lively II’s absence could majorly affect the team in this equation. The Mavs went after the top-seeding OKC Thunder in the semi-final, which Kyrie Irving considered as the ‘toughest’ series that he had played in his career, and restricted them. Speaking after the series win, Luka Doncic said, “We don’t win this series without D Live… He’s been playing amazing. For a rookie, not being scared, it’s insane how he played, the way he impacts the game.” 

With that being said, will D-Live’s absence cost the series for the Mavs? Let us know in the comments.

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