According to the recent reports by Adrian Wojnarowski, Senior NBA insider for ESPN, Dallas Mavericks rookie center Dereck Lively II’s neck injury test was normal. However, his availability for Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves remains doubtful.
“Tests returned OK on Dereck Lively II’s neck, but his availability for Game 4 remains unclear, source tells ESPN.” Wojnarowski wrote in his recent post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Dallas was leading 43-33 in the second quarter when the injury occurred. Lively argued a missed jump shot by Mike Conley and fell backward toward the floor. Towns tried to grab the rebound, but as he fell to the floor, the back of his head struck Towns’ right knee.
Lively lay down on the court briefly, and then his head snapped forward. Eventually, with the help of teammates, he managed to stand up and leave the court. After the incident, ESPN’s NBA analyst Tim MacMahon gave an update on Lively’s condition after leaving the court.
“Mavs rookie center Dereck Lively II left the arena to get a scan to evaluate the severity of his sprained neck; sources told @mcten and me. Lively is not in the NBA’s concussion protocol at this point.” MacMahon wrote in his latest post on X.
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Will Dallas be affected by Lively’s absence?
After the injury, Lively went straight to the dressing room, clearly disoriented. After the game, he left the arena to undergo a scan to determine the severity of his neck strain. However, he didn’t sustain any serious injury, but his status will remain questionable until the next update.
Lively has averaged 8.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 14 playoff games this season. He is one of the most crucial players for the Mavericks during the playoffs. His absence will have a great impact on the Mavs’ defense. However, the Mavericks are already in a good position in the Western Conference Finals, leading the series 3-0. Dallas only needs to win one more game against Minnesota to advance to the NBA finals.
Also Read: Derrick Jones Jr. and Dereck Lively II Lead Mavericks to Western Conference Finals
