Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II left Sunday’s playoff game against the Timberwolves after being inadvertently kneed in the back of the head by Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns.
The incident occurred in the second quarter with Dallas leading 43-33. Lively fell backward toward the court after contesting a missed shot by Mike Conley. As he fell to the court, the back of his head hit Towns’ right knee as Towns jumped in an effort to retrieve the rebound.
Lively’s head came forward and he remained prone on the court for several moments. He was finally able to get up and leave the court with the help of teammates. He was clearly dizzy and went straight to the locker room.
O Mavericks listed him as questionable at halftime with a sprained neck before discarding him in the third quarter. Coupled with the immediate concern over his health, the loss of Lively on Sunday and potentially beyond is a significant blow to the Mavericks.
Lively’s Contribution to Dallas’ Playoffs
Duke’s 12th pick in the 2023 draft, Lively has been a revelation for the Mavericks as a key contributor in their run to the Western Conference finals. An All-Rookie team selection, Lively averaged 8.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocks off the bench in 14 playoff games before Sunday.
His defense and post presence were invaluable as Dallas surged past the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder in the postseason. He recorded 11 points, 15 rebounds and +26 in the plus/minus column in the Mavericks’ Game 6 final victory over the Thunder in the second round. He has yet to miss a field goal in more than two games against Minnesota while shooting 13 of 13 from the field.
According to TNT, his +108 for the postseason is the second-best plus/minus for a rookie since 1997. A 7-1 center, his presence is key against a Timberwolves team that features three bigs in Towns, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid.
Dallas entered Game 3 with a 2–0 series lead after winning Games 1 and 2 in Minnesota and a chance to secure a series victory at home.
