Latest Injury Could Derail the Mavericks' Season

Losing a starting center could be a major problem for Dallas.

Keenan Womack | Jan 22, 2025

Jan 14, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (2) reacts after suffering a possible leg injury during the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Dallas Mavericks

For years, the Mavericks searched for their center of the future; players came and went, and Dallas struggled in many playoff series against opposing bigs. It wasn't until 2023, when they drafted a young big man out of Duke named Dereck Lively II, that they seemed to have finally found their answer.

A lob threat, rebounder, and patroller of the paint, Lively II perfectly fit what the Mavericks needed out of their five, especially in tandem with Luka Doncic, whose ideal big was a 7-footer that could perform all of the functions listed above. They only fortified the position when they added Wizards big man Daniel Gafford, and all of a sudden, Dallas went from a team with no post presence to a team with one of the most dynamic duos in the entire league.

This rotation of two solid frontcourt players helped lead the Mavericks nearly all the way to the promised land in 2023-24, falling just short of their first NBA Title in what would have been 13 seasons. They lost to the Boston Celtics, 4-1, but the future was set for Dallas' premier basketball operation, sure to compete for titles going forward, even in a stacked Western Conference.

However, in basketball, things do not always go as planned. This has been the story so far for the 2024-25 Mavericks, who came in with extremely high hopes, only to be dashed by a roster rife with injuries. Luka Doncic has missed so many games that he is now ineligible for any kind of postseason award, which will end his streak of All-NBA appearances for the first time since his rookie season. With their lead initiator still out, Dallas received even more bad news recently when it was announced that the second-year phenom Lively II would miss 2-3 months with a foot fracture.

Luckily for Dallas, they do still have the aforementioned Daniel Gafford. Even still, Lively II's absence cannot be understated. For all of the things that Gafford can do, Lively II is more mobile and a better defender, not to mention the issues that arise when depth is taken away, especially at a position where they lack depth past their top two options.

On the season, Lively II has averaged 9.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 2.6 assists, and his game was only beginning to expand. His passing has been a welcome addition to his skillset, as he has become a fairly reliable distributor out of the post, especially compared to his low usage percentage. His effective field goal percentage of 70.1% is fifth overall in the NBA, meaning Dallas is not only losing a valuable defensive asset but also one that can finish plays at a high rate on the offensive end.

While Gafford has done an admirable job in his absence, it will be essentially impossible to replace the 24 minutes per game that Lively II spends on the floor blocking shots, grabbing rebounds, and catching lobs. After all, Gafford typically plays about 20 minutes per game, meaning there will have to be another option to play the center position when Gafford sits. Obviously, his minutes will increase, as they did against Charlotte (31 points in 34 minutes). However, it is dangerous to overwork a 7-footer, as lower-leg injuries are always going to be a factor with big men.

Lively II's injury has the potential to seriously affect the season, especially in conjunction with the injury to Luka Doncic – the big man is that important to what the Mavericks do on both sides of the ball. It will require a Herculean effort from Gafford to overcome this problem and require even more big men on the roster to pick up the slack.

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KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.