The Dallas Mavericks have a tough matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night — one that will have significant implications on the tight playoff race in the Western Conference.
Ahead of Tuesday’s showdown against Stephen Curry and Co., Mavs head coach Jason Kidd made an important injury announcement about rookie Dereck Lively II. Apparently, Dallas could now be without their prized rookie for the remainder of the regular season.
Dallas Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II OUT Two Weeks
Lively logged just 13 minutes of action in Sunday’s win over the Houston Rockets. The 7-foot-1 center was forced to exit due to what was initially deemed a right lower leg injury. As it turns out, the issue was with his knee, which will now force him to potentially sit out the next two weeks.
This report comes via NBA insider Marc J. Spears of ESPN:
“Mavs head coach Jason Kidd says rookie center Dereck Lively (right knee soreness) could be out two weeks,” Spears reported on Twitter.
This injury comes at a terrible time for Dallas as they look to secure a guaranteed playoff spot in the West. The Mavs enter Tuesday’s game as the fifth seed with a 45-29 record. However, only 3.5 games separate them from the ninth-placed Los Angeles Lakers.
Dallas has just eight games remaining on their schedule, including Tuesday’s tilt against Golden State. They play their final regular season game on April 14, and it is unclear if Lively will be available for that one.
Lively has started in 42 out of his 55 appearances for Dallas this season. The No. 12 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft has produced averages of 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 23.5 minutes per contest.
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