The Dallas Mavericks have a huge setback amid their dominant run in the Conference Finals. Luka Doncic & Co. has two Centers in their arsenal. While Daniel Gafford brought in the physicality, Dereck Lively II brought in the post-up points and Jason Kidd used them alternatively, causing hemorrhage to the Minnesota Timberwolves. But, a scary injury from Game 3 could disrupt the Mavs’ rookie Center’s contribution to the side.

Around the 8th-minute mark in the second quarter, Karl-Anthony Towns‘ knee gravely impacted Lively in the back of his head, who was on his way to the floor after a failed rebound attempt. Following the impact, the 20-year-old baller was flat on the paint for a moment, causing a brief pause. Later, he was taken to the locker room with a concussion fear. Moreover, the star rookie’s return in the second half is extremely doubtful.

Dereck Lively II looked in extreme discomfort as he headed to the locker room with assistance. The entire Mavs unit surrounded the rookie as the medical staff performed their duty on the floor. And followed him to the baseline as he headed to the locker room.

The 7 ‘1 center played at an average of 23.5 minutes in the postseason, dropping 8.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Now, Daniel Gafford has to punch in more minutes to compensate for the rookie’s absence. On the other hand, Jason Kidd made Dwight Powell play the center role in Gafford’s off-the-court minutes.

In this postseason, Powell has played at an average of 2.5 minutes per game, scoring 2 points in the entire postseason. Additionally, Lively’s absence could gravely impact the result of the game, as Luka Doncic himself credited the rookie for the semi-final success. He said, “We don’t win this series without D Live… He’s been playing amazing. For a rookie, not being scared.”

Everything you need to know: Dereck Lively’s injury status

The latest report from the Center revealed that Dereck Lively II suffered a neck sprain after the scary collision with Karl-Anthony Towns. Moreover, the star rookie is Questionable to return.

Minutes after the rookie’s doubtful status, another report confirmed that Lively would not return for the rest of the game, completely surrendering the duties to Daniel Gafford.

The two big men are the latest addition to the Mavs’ attack this season. Speaking of the inclusion of the Center players, Doncic said, “We added some size to our team and a backup center, which I wanted like three years already.” As the Slovenian pointed out, the inclusion of big men definitely made a difference to their roster. From failing to enter the postseason to dominating the Wolves in the Conference Finals, the Mavs have come a long way.

Nevertheless, the Mavs’ efforts could go in vain as the neck sprain can take up to 4-6 weeks to heal depending upon the severity of the injury. The Mavs fans have to wait for the official update on the rookie’s return before keeping their hopes alive around winning the ring.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow in what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.