Mavs Rookie Dereck Lively II Dominates in Comeback Win: 'Man, I Love Dallas!'
Following their first loss of the season in Denver against the defending champs, the Dallas Mavericks bounced back on Sunday by coming all the way back from being down 15 points to defeat the Charlotte Hornets, 124-118.
A big reason for the Mavs' 5-1 start to the season is the play of 19-year-old rookie Dereck Lively II, who put up 15 points on 7-9 shooting to go with 14 rebounds and one emphatic block in Dallas' win over Charlotte. Over the last 23 years, there has only been one Mavs rookie to have over 45 rebounds in their first six games, and Lively is that guy.
"Just doing the dirty work, man," Lively said when asked about his big night. "Cleaning up offensive rebounds, making sure I'm getting defensive rebounds, making sure I'm staying open, making sure I have my hands ready. I'm just thankful for my teammates finding me in those spots, and [now I'm] just trying to get on to the next one."
Defense and rebounding were the Mavs' two biggest points of emphasis heading into this season, but it seemed as if the team lost sight of the importance of those areas in the first half against the Hornets. Lively credits his team's comeback to the attention to detail given on defense throughout the second half.
Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II contests Charlotte Hornets' Mark Williams, who, like Lively, also played his college ball at Duke.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
"Honestly it came down to defense," Lively said. "We knew that eventually our shots were gonna fall, but it really just came down to being able to be in rotations, being able to have a low man, being able to play proper pick-and-roll defense and just being able to be in the gaps."
Due to his team-first attitude and endless energy, Lively has quickly become a fan favorite in Dallas. He appreciates how the community has embraced him since being drafted with the 12th pick in this year's draft ... and he's starting to notice how the American Airlines Center crowd makes a little extra noise when he gets his name announced.
"Man, I love Dallas," Lively said when asked about how the community has embraced him so far. "I appreciate everybody who's just been able to bring the energy. Because you know I'm lively, but it seems like every time I hear my name, the place gets more lively. Being able to know that I have not just my team, but the community on my back, it makes me want to work that much harder."
Mavs legend Tyson Chandler has been Lively's mentor since the summer, and you can already tell that coaching is paying off for the rookie. He's giving the Mavs things they haven't had at the center position in years, and he's only going to get better from here on out.
Next up, Lively gets his first taste of an NBA back-to-back, as the Mavs take on the Orlando Magic at Amway Center on Monday night. Expect the young big man to bring the same energy he always brings despite having slightly heavier legs.
