Last night, the Dallas Mavericks lost on the road to the Golden State Warriors, ending their winning streak.
Despite the loss, Dallas continues to show everyone they are the real deal, and Luka Doncic is playing like an MVP right now. Doncic dropped 30 points against Golden State, but he and Kyrie Irving continue to prove they are one of the top duos in the league.
All eyes are currently on Doncic and Irving, but one detail that was reported before last night's game was that Mavs rookie center Derek Lively II could be out for two weeks with a sore knee. That's what it was. Lively II was substituted early in the game against the Rockets, but the injury appears to be more serious than initially expected considering the span of several weeks.
Brad Tozend of the Dallas Morning News reported that the two-week time frame for Lively II's injury is an estimate and will be evaluated upon his return to Dallas today. No matter what was revealed when Lively II had his knee examined, concerns are starting to be raised about his injury.
Lively II has played in just 55 games this season, battling an ankle injury and a minor back injury. He has been a key piece of Dallas' rotation all season, and keeping him healthy should be a priority.
Jason Kidd gave Lively II minutes to Dwight Powell last night, but they need him back for the playoffs. When Lively II is on the floor, they are a different team. And having him off the bench as his second rim protector behind Daniel Gafford was the perfect role for him.
Lively II is averaging 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game as a rookie this season while shooting 74.7 percent from the floor. He was everything Dallas needed and more, but only time will tell when he returns.
It would be a huge blow for Lively II to miss the playoffs, and the Mavs have been unlucky with injuries recently. Doncic will likely miss out on putting Lively II as a lob target in pick-and-rolls, but Gafford should be able to hold the fort until he returns.
Be sure to check out the latest information on Luka Doncic, Derek Lively II, and the Dallas Mavericks for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs.
