Injuries pile up for the Mavs! Following Luka Doncic, the Texas side has added another crucial unit to the injury report. The sophomore star, Dereck Lively II, didn’t return to the bench after the first-half break. Above all, the team also announced that the 20-year-old is Questionable to return for the rest of the game. Now that the team doesn’t have Klay Thompson, LukaMagic, and D-live on the floor, Daniel Gafford and Kyrie Irving will have to share the load against the threatening Hawks.

After checking out in the second quarter with 4 minutes on the clock, Lively II didn’t check back in. The team listed him as doubtful to return to the game, citing illness. However, Landon Thomas, who initially reported the star’s questionable status, further confirmed that the star return for the rest of the game.

Dereck Lively II in his short stay could manage to play 11 minutes and racked up 2 points with 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. Following that, Gafford picked up the rim protection duty and ended the game with an impressive 10 points and 9 boards. Fortunately, the big man’s untimely exit didn’t affect the game, as the short-handed Mavs survived with a comfortable 129-119 win over the Atlanta side.

Despite the inexperience on the roster and the team’s subpar record in the West, the Hawks have managed to upset big teams. Notably, the flight crew with their leader, Trae Young, defeated the defending champs, Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Moreover, they have managed to pull off a similar trick against the Sac-Town and Knicks. So, the game could have gone either way for the Texas team, if not for Kyrie Irving’s fourth-quarter brilliance.

Amid Dereck Lively II’s absence, Kai & Co. pull off a blinder

It wasn’t Klay and Luka, who missed the game. The team also didn’t have Quentin Grimes and Dante Exum to pack the core team. So, Kyrie Irving had to seek help from Jaden Hardy, Naji Marshall and Spencer Dinwiddie to seal the deal. While the team already had the criticism of lazy offensive starts, the shorthanded Mavs couldn’t help it either. Even though ended the first quarter with a flurry, the buckets drought in the beginning troubled the team.

Nevertheless, the Hawks put up a strong performance in the second quarter, finishing up the first half with a 67-61 lead. Thanks to the 12-0 run. Moreover, the team continued to build on their lead while the Mavs missed one of their bigs, Dereck Lively II, after the first half. Dinwiddie helped the team secure a one-point lead heading into the fourth quarter with his three-point display.

In the final quarter, the Mavs needed something special to defeat the thriving Hawks. That’s when Kyrie Irving, who is known for his fourth-quarter flurry in the past, scored 16 of his 32 points in the last quarter with stinging three-pointers to finish the game. Above all, this game also demanded season high performances from two stars to help the team secure the win: Dinwiddie (22), Jaden Hardy (23). What do you make of the team’s fighting effort for the win? Let us know in the comments.

Importantly, the Mavs haven’t updated their injury report regarding Dereck Lively II’s return. Watch this space for further updates!