It’s been a tough few weeks for Dereck Lively II, personally and professionally. His injury had been a big concern for the Mavs fans ahead of Game 1 against the Celtics. Lively II did not get the chance to play in the rest of Game 3 and Game 4 of the Timberwolves series, after the neck sprain he sustained in Game 3. There were various speculations that the Mavs center couldn’t move his neck. However, the 20-year-old announced a relieving and very elaborate health update. The rookie hilariously moved his neck in different directions to flex his recovered neck, stating, “I’m great” every time.

The press room burst out in laughter after the player’s actions. He even further explained how everyone had been quite concerned about his injury. Yet Lively II was quite optimistic about his recovery as he added, “You know, if I’m gonna get hit in the head of the three, four times, I still get back up and act like nothing happen.” He did not miss the chance to assure the media he was fit to play in the finals. It was a nightmare for the Mavs when he was injured twice.

Minnesota had complete domination on offense. Moreover, the Mavs’ rookie’s absence on the defensive end put more pressure on the offensive end. Eventually, his presence on the field mattered as the Mavs clinched the series from the Wolves in Game 5. However, the youngster was handed a severe blow to the back of his head after Naz Reid attempted to block the shot with his right hand.

How will Dereck Lively II affect the Mavs’ starting lineup in the Finals?

In the finals, the expected lineup for Dallas includes Luka Doncic, Derrick Jones Jr., P.J. Washington, Kyrie Irving, and Daniel Gafford. Irving and Doncic will take charge of the offense while Washington and Gafford keep the ball rotating as they protect the paint. Derrick will be the dunk specialist who will assist the offense by sneakily smashing some points. However, Dereck Lively II is the sixth missing piece that brings absoluteness on both ends.

He is the perfect player to replace Jones Jr. as he catches lobs like a regular on the court. Even on the defensive end, he shuts down the opponents or forces them to alter the path of their shots. The same thing happened with Anthony Edwards and KAT when they faced the rookie in WCFs.

Interestingly, Lively has ranked 5th in the playoffs for total blocks and 4th in total offensive rebounds. His stats are nothing normal. Even his 19 consecutive field goals in the playoffs this year are a new league record. No wonder the Mavs will look to him first as soon as any trouble lands against them.

About his importance to the team in his rookie season itself, Lively II admitted to being surprised too. He said, “There’s been a lot of times where I was unsure of play calls, positions, of different things, but I’ve been able to lean on my team. They back me up, they understand that I’m a rookie, they understand that I haven’t been in this situation before, but I’m gonna fake it ’til I make it.”

In this postseason after having defended the likes of Ivica Zubac, Chet Holmgren, Rudy Gobert, and KAT, will Lively II continue living up to that dream standard? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Thank you for staying till the end. Watch out for what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the marketing genius in the following video.