One of the big missing pieces for the Dallas Mavericks at present is injured center Dereck Lively.
A frustrating season for the Dallas Mavericks has the team ranking eighth in the Western Conference with a 31-27 record.
The Mavericks were blown out by the Golden State Warriors, yet it is hard to really assess Jason Kidd’s team, due to the way they have been hit by injuries.
Centers Dereck Lively, Daniel Gafford have both been sidelined by injuries, along with new star signing Anthony Davis.
But for the team, there is hope that once they get their stars back, they will become a real force in the West at the right time.
Dereck Lively now gets to play alongside his idol
The injuries have frustrated everyone surrounding the Dallas Mavericks, amid tensions following the Luka Doncic trade.
Lively, 21, was the Mavericks first round draft pick in 2023, and he has become a key player for the team, with his presence sorely missed amid his injury sustained at the start of the year.
For Dereck Lively, it delays the realization of a dream come true, and his return will be worth the wait. This is because he will get the opportunity to play alongside his idol Anthony Davis.
Coming out of High School he was sought after, and ended up committing to Duke ahead of Kentucky.
But in an interview with KSR in 2021, Lively talked about his admiration for former Kentucky alumni Anthony Davis.
He explained: “If I go there, they could show me how to play more like Anthony Davis, because Anthony Davis is my role model.
“He can get to the rim, he can step behind the three, he can block shots, he can guard a guard, he’s an overall great big man.
“I watched whenever he got into the playoffs, when he was just a monster around the rim, and he could also put up jump shots and he could do it all.”
Lively will soon be able to learn alongside Anthony Davis first-hand, playing alongside each other.
Davis has made clear he prefers to line up at power forward, enabling him to eventually share the court with Lively as teammates.
Dereck Lively injury latest
Anthony Davis is expected to return to action before Dereck Lively. The former Lakers star is due to be evaluated at the end of the month.
Lively’s goal is to return in time for the playoffs. He sustained a stress fracture in his ankle which was forecast to keep him out up to three months.
This puts Lively on a timeline to return around late March to early to mid-April.
Having Anthony Davis to return to makes it all the more motivating for Lively to return to full health as quickly as possible, and the pair could still have a major say in how this season shapes out.