The Mavericks put their home-court advantage to good use as they beat Zion Williamson and Co. tonight. Not having Luka Doncic on the floor should have been a deterrent. But Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr. really stepped it up tonight. Irving finished with 42 points and Hardaway, with 41, as both played for 41 minutes.

Another silver lining was that Dallas had their No. 2 big man back. Though they are being very careful with the young 7’1 center, his addition was certainly welcome. And a respite on the floor when facing Williamson.

Dereck Lively II on Zion Williamson

Dereck Lively II was a highly touted, consensus five-star recruit coming out of the 2022 class. And he has never disappointed. After being sidelined for five games previously due to an ankle injury, Lively once again took the floor against the Pelicans. When talking to reporters about how it felt to play his first game after an injury against ‘Zanos,’ he casually sums up the 284-pound Pelicans star in two words – “Big body.”

Playing just 26 minutes, Lively contributed 6 points, one assist, and 12 rebounds. There is no doubt that the team will be paying attention to Dereck’s time on the floor. Mavs coach Jason Kidd said as much. “We’ll probably give him a short stint to start and check on his wind … we’ll start with the first four or five minutes, then check in and see how he’s doing.” 

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Lively’s skills are on elite levels. A vertical lob threat, rim protector, and short-roll decision-maker are just a few skills that the No.12 draft pick brings to the table. Dereck’s basketball IQ and understanding of the role are already far ahead of his 19-year-old self. The Mavericks are well aware that they struck gold. And that’s exactly why they will be taking the long route with Dereck Lively II.

Everything to Know About 7’1 NBA Rookie Dereck Lively II Who Has the Blessings of Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd

The second round of Mavs-Pelicans work in favor of the former

This afternoon’s matchup saw the ‘Big D’ walk out with a 125-120 victory over the Pelicans. Having lost to them in the previous game really motivated the Doncic-less team to put in the hard work. For the second time in the franchise’s history, for two players to score 40+ points, All-Star Irving and Hardaway led the team with determination.

Going against a full-strength Pelicans, especially with Luka sidelined, is a tough battle. But the team had Lively this time around. And his size and the ability to grab rebounds was something they were in desperate need of. Needless to say, his five rebounds in the fourth quarter gave the squad major second-chance possessions.

Though the Mavs had a strong start to the game, the second and third quarters got too close for comfort. But a combination of three-point shooting (18-of-43 for 42% from beyond the arc) and rebounding (outrebounded the Pelicans 42-37) advantage helped the team see the light at the end of the tunnel.

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