Mavs' Lively out at least 4 weeks due to ankle fracture
Dallas Mavericks big man Dereck Lively II is expected to miss at least four weeks after sustaining a stress fracture in his right ankle, the team announced Wednesday, per NBA Insider Marc Stein.
Lively exited Dallas' 118-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 14 after injuring the ankle. He has been unavailable for its three subsequent games.
The 20-year-old has been vital to the Mavericks in his second NBA season, averaging 9.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game, all career bests. He has also cemented his place in the starting lineup, appearing with the first unit in 25 of his 32 contests.
The Mavericks are 4-7 this campaign without the Duke product.
Dallas has been hit hard by the injury bug as of late. Star guard Luka Doncic has been out since Dec. 25 with a calf injury while his backcourt mate, Kyrie Irving, has been available for only 33 games as he has dealt with a lingering back problem. The projected starting lineup heading into the season of Doncic, Irving, Lively, Klay Thompson, and P.J. Washington has played only 119 minutes together across 14 games. Dallas is just 3-6 in 2025.
The 2024 NBA finalists sit seventh in the West and are scheduled to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.