Dallas Mavs' Dereck Lively II Status Uncertain for Game 1 vs. LA Clippers

The Mavs will face the Clippers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday. Will Dereck Lively II play?

DALLAS — When the Dallas Mavericks play Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the LA Clippers on Sunday, it remains to be seen if Dereck Lively II will be available to play.

Following Sunday's blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Lively's status for the upcoming game remains uncertain. When asked about Lively's availability, Mavs coach Jason Kidd offered a non-committal response. "We'll see," he said, leaving room for speculation about the potential impact of his absence.

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Lively has been sidelined since Mar. 31 after dealing with a right knee sprain. He suffered the injury after playing 13 minutes in the Mavs' road victory over the Houston Rockets, landing awkwardly after blocking Amen Thompson at the rim.

Lively, picked 12th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, has been a critical figure for the Mavs this season. He has played in 55 games, averaging 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. His presence on the court has been pivotal, evidenced by the team's 35-20 record when he's played.

There's far more important developments in Lively's life as he navigates the passing of his mother, Kathy Drysdale, which he announced before the Mavs faced the Detroit Pistons on Friday.

Drysdale, who had been fighting cancer since 2013, died on Friday. Lively shared the news on social media.

“My heart breaks saying goodbye to the most important person in the world to me, my best friend, my superhero, my biggest cheerleader and mom, Kathy Drysdale," Lively wrote on Instagram. "There is no one in this world that can love you more than your mother. As strong and stubborn as she is, I have watched her struggle, fight, and survive cancer for the past 11 years, and now her battle has ended.”

Despite the circumstances, Lively still attended Friday's game to support his teammates wearing a No. 42 jersey with "Drysdale" on the name plate to honor his mother. Along with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Lively did not travel with the tema to Oklahoma City for Sunday's game.

“For his mom to pass this afternoon and then to come to work – he had every right to stay with his family and friends,” Kidd said. “But that just shows safe place. And to be with the team during the game, that shows who he is. He’s shown his strength that he’s going to push forward.”

Daniel Gafford emerged as the Mavs' starting center in March, helping to guide the team to a 16-2 record over an 18-game span before the team clinched the fifth seed in the Western Conference standings. If Lively cannot play, Maxi Kleber will surely factor in more at the five, with Dwight Powell as another option.