2024 NBA Finals: Dereck Lively II stretches Dallas’ ceiling as Mavs show life in Game 4

DALLAS — Halfway through the second quarter of the Mavericks’ momentous 122-84 Game 4 victory in these NBA Finals, Luka Dončić drove past Xavier Tillman Sr., drew Jayson Tatum into the paint and found Dereck Lively II all alone in the right corner. The Mavericks have been in dire need of somebody, anybody, not named Dončić or Kyrie Irving to connect from beyond the arc. Outside Dallas’ pair of All-Star creators, the Mavericks entered Friday night’s contest just 9 of 36 from 3-point range. Subtract P.J. Washington’s 4-of-14 series effort, and no other Maverick outside of Josh Green had converted more than two triples against Boston.

Lively hadn’t attempted a deep ball this entire postseason. He hadn’t attempted a deep ball since Nov. 14. He attempted only 13 in 34 games at Duke. Yet the 7-foot-1 first-year big man dipped Dončić’s pass below his knees, rose and fired a gorgeous arching moonshot that splashed through nothing but net. It marked the first made 3-pointer of the 20-year-old’s professional career — now the youngest player ever to drill a triple in Finals history.

“He’s 50% on the season,” Dončić surmised. “So he might as well just keep shooting. He’s 1 for 2, right?” In fact, Lively is now 1 of 3 dating to the start of this campaign. “All right,” Dončić smiled, upon that correction from a reporter. “One for 1. He’s 100% in the playoffs.”

Dereck Lively II of the Dallas Mavericks dunks against the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals at American Airlines Center on June 14, 2024, in Dallas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

He’s been one of one for Dallas all postseason, blocking shots and ripping rebounds and passing out of the pocket like no other big man in the Mavericks’ frontcourt can. After Lively ran down the American Airlines Center floor with a trio of fingers flashing to the roaring arena, he contested a Tillman layup and then sprinted back down the court to flush a lob from Irving. His seven offensive rebounds Friday were the most the Celtics have surrendered to a single player throughout these playoffs. His final tally of 11 points…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-06-15 05:26:23

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