Minneapolis, Minnesota On paper, he might be a rookie in the NBA. However, Dereck Lively II’s teammates do not want him to play, act, or think like an impressionable rookie.
Rather, they want him to play, act, and think like a cunning old pro.
Lively, who recently graduated from college and is playing for the Dallas Mavericks for the first time, declared, “I’m a rookie.” “I promise not to be flawless.
“But I’ve been trying to do what my teammates say—go out there and be a vet, go out there and make vet plays, go out there and think like a vet and play like a vet.”
Not only has Lively been doing as his seasoned buddy has asked? He’s nearly perfecting those commands.
Lively averaged 9.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and played 22 minutes per game while going perfect 16 of 16 from the field in the Mavs’ four Western Conference Finals games against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This includes going 4-for-4 from the field, scoring nine points, collecting eight rebounds, blocking three shots, and winning 124-103 over the Timberwolves on Thursday to finish the best-of-seven series in five games.
The Mavs advanced to the NBA Finals thanks in large part to Lively’s performance as their backup center in this series. On Thursday at 7:30 p.m., they will begin a best-of-seven series against the Boston Celtics. For Lively, who attended Duke for a single year before declaring for the NBA Draft and being selected 10th overall in the first round last summer, everything seems so strange.
“Even now, I feel like I’m dreaming,” the 7-1, 230-pound Lively remarked. “Grab me by the elbow. Without a certain, I never saw this coming.
“A season like this is unimaginable to me. I never thought I would be a part of a family and a team like this.
So where does Lively really see himself in the professional world right now?vibrant
“The G-League, grind, just a rookie’s normal thing,” he remarked. “I had no idea that I would be able to make the kind of impact that I am now.
“Therefore, as soon as I arrived here and started to make an impression, I felt it was time for me to advance, improve, learn, and become more proficient.”
Indeed, Lively did improve as the season went on. From a rookie attempting to find his place in the team to a player making significant veteran-like contributions, he underwent a transformation.
When LivelyLively was playing defense, they were jamming the lane. He was changing shots instead of blocking them. He had also developed into a master offensive player who could receive a pass around the rim and finish the play with a dunk.
Because of her domination, Lively was able to secure a spot on the NBA’s all-rookie second team, which she proudly wears.
“I feel like I want to step up even more when I see my teammates leaning on me,” Lively stated. “My teammates trust me because I trust them, regardless of the play—whether it’s a lob, a block, or a stop.”
That also applies to Lively’s trust that coach Jason Kidd has given her. Kidd is aware that Lively is not your typical rookie due to her long, lean athletic body.
That’s why it’s not a coincidence that the Mavericks lost their sole game in this Lively series when Lively missed Game 4 against the Timberwolves due to a neck sprain.
Considering Lively from an offensive perspective, Kidd remarked, “I think when you talk about his spirit, his energy, and his ability to protect the rim, and then offensively being able to have the vertical game, and also also being able to get offensive rebounds.” “In Game 4, it was something we overlooked.
“But having Lively allows us to maintain our size and athleticism.”
Lively simply values Kidd’s unwavering faith in his ability to succeed and make a significant contribution as Daniel Gafford’s backup center.
Lively remarked, “There have been times when Jason Kidd has just been telling me to slow down and just play.” “(He said) just go out there and play basketball; that’s what I do. Stop trying to overthink the game, stop overthinking it.
It is not customary to place your trust in a novice. My teammates have faith in my ability to make errors and grow from them.
Lively has also discovered that he must have faith in the coaches and teammates in the Mavs locker room. In the end, the Mavs simply won all three of their postseason series against the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves despite being the underdogs in each of those series.
In this championship series against the Celtics, the Mavericks are, incidentally, once again the underdogs.
Lively declared, “We don’t care what anybody has to say about us.” “What the media has to say is irrelevant to us. We hoop when we show up.
Additionally, the Mavs have been shooting extremely well in the playoffs this year because to some crucial help from Lively.