This is why the Mavericks kept telling folks that, even though he’s a rookie, center Dereck Lively II plays a very major role on this team.
After missing the previous five games with a left ankle sprain, Lively returned Monday and was a wrecking ball inside the paint during the 125-120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Just asked the Pelicans.
All that domination the Pelicans got in the middle when they defeated the Mavs on Saturday, that wasn’t there on Monday, thanks to Lively. In 26 bullish minutes Lively scored six points, knocked enough bodies around to grab a game-high 12 rebounds.
Lively also pulled down seven offensive rebounds. The Pelicans? They had eight offensive rebounds – as a team.
“That’s my job, do the dirty work and clean it up,” Lively said. “I know my team missed me, so my first game back that was definitely a star on my head – bring second chance opportunities or just try to find the open shot.
“I felt like we did a great job of moving the ball around and did a great job of bringing physicality and bringing energy.”
Because of Lively’s presence, the Mavs were able to outrebound the Pelicans, 42-37.
“I mean, he means so much to this team and this organization,” guard Tim Hardaway said. “He does an amazing job of clogging up the paint, talking on defense, blocking shots.
“He is a really great anchor for us down there on the defensive end. He helps us tremendously.”
Here are the three takeaways from the Mavs’ five-point win over the Pelicans.
SAY MY NAME: If case anyone forgot, Mavs guard Kyrie Irving reminded everyone – again – that he is an eight-time All-Star, the Most Valuable Player of the 2014 NBA All-Star game, and the man who drilled the series-clinching jumper that helped the Cleveland Cavaliers defeat the Golden State Warriors in seven games in the 2016 NBA Finals. Two games after scoring 44 points in a win over the New York Knicks, Irving poured in 42 points in Monday’s victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. He also added seven rebounds and seven assists in one dynamite performance.
HARDAWAY STRIKES AGAIN: Mavs guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is the gift that keeps on giving. Over the past three games, Hardaway is averaging 32.3 ppg. That includes scoring a season-high 41 points – one point shy of his career high — in the triumph over the Pelicans. And that also includes draining 9-of-15 shots form three-point territory. The nine three-pointers are one short of his career high of 10 which he converted during a May 4, 2021 game against the Miami Heat. It’s the second 40-point game of Hardaway’s career. In addition, he also was 10-of-10 from the free throw line against the Pelicans.
RAINING THREES: The Mavs were raining threes Monday as they made 18-of-43 three-pointers while rallying from 10 points down in the third quarter to beat the Pelicans. That’s the 25th time this season the Mavs have knocked down at least 15 shots from three-point land in a game. That trails only the Boston Celtics, who have 19 such games this season. Also, the 25 three-pointers ties for the sixth-most made buckets from downtown through 41 games into the season.
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