The Dallas Mavericks have been massacred by the injury bug this season, but they appear to be getting healthier at the perfect time. After Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford recently returned to action, fellow big man Dereck Lively II has received a huge injury update after missing 36 games with a stress fracture in his right ankle.
The 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Lively immediately helped the Mavericks make a run to the 2024 NBA Finals as a rookie, averaging 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 74.7% from the field. Dallas ended up losing in five games to the Boston Celtics, but Lively cemented his spot in the team's rotation.
Lively has appeared in 32 games this season, starting 25 of them. Despite not seeing a major uptick in minutes, Lively showed improvement on the court, averaging 9.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He also has averaged 1.7 blocks per game, and he's still hitting 70.1% of his shots.
Lively suffered his ankle injury back on Jan. 14 in a 118-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets, and he's been out ever since then. After putting in some extensive work behind the scenes, Lively is once again healthy, and the team announced that he will be making his return to action against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
"Mavs C Dereck Lively II will return tonight from his stress fracture in his right ankle. Jason Kidd says Lively will be limited to 15 minutes vs. Hawks," Tim MacMahon of ESPN shared in a post on X.
Mavs C Dereck Lively II will return tonight from his stress fracture in his right ankle. Jason Kidd says Lively will be limited to 15 minutes vs. Hawks.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 2, 2025
The team Lively returns to is quite different, as Luka Doncic is no longer around after getting shipped to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster trade that brought Davis to town. This will be Davis and Lively's first time sharing the court together.
Even with all their injuries, the Mavericks could still find their way into the postseason, as they currently hold the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference heading into play on Wednesday. Tip-off for their clash with the Hawks is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.
Related: Anthony Davis' Latest Injury Update Amid Mavericks Struggles Turns Heads
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This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 4:12 PM.