3.Pelton: Dereck Lively II, Dallas MavericksCertainly, Lively has been put in a favorable situation on the receiving end of lobs from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Some 81% of Lively’s scores have been assisted, putting him in the NBA’s top 10 among players with at least 75 field goals per Stathead.com. Still, Lively has been far more efficient (74% from the field) than the similar players Dallas has tried in that spot, including JaVale McGee last year. And his defensive impact has been in the same ballpark as Holmgren and Wembanyama. It’s rare to see three players so strong defending the rim in the same rookie class.
—
4.Marks: LivelyLast season Dallas ranked 29th in field goal attempts and second-chance points. This season the addition of Lively has seen the Mavericks move up to fifth in attempts and 12th in second-chance points. Through the first two months, Lively has eight games of at least four offensive rebounds, ranking 16th among all players and first in the rookie class in offensive rebounds per game, ahead of Wembanyama and Ausar Thompson. He recently became only the third player in NBA history (joining Rudy Gobert and Dikembe Mutombo) to record 20 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks and 100% shooting in a game.
​
edit: one writer has him at no.3, the other at no.4.
JeanVicquemare
It’s kinda surreal to see so many people seeing and recognizing that the Mavs got such a good one in Dereck Lively. Both on ESPN and in the r/nba comment thread. But, I think it’s just so obvious to everyone who’s watched Dallas at all this season how much of a difference Lively makes for them.
And personally, I have Lively at a solid #3 as well. Wemby and Chet are in a league of their own as rookies, but Lively is clearly better than anyone else, IMO
devilmaskrascal
Texas and Oklahoma are stacked with the next gen of centers. Chet vs. Wemby vs. Sengun vs. Lively is going to be a fun decade of battles ahead of us.
5 Comments
Finally, some fucking Lively respect from NBA.com
Paywall
—-
3.Pelton: Dereck Lively II, Dallas MavericksCertainly, Lively has been put in a favorable situation on the receiving end of lobs from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Some 81% of Lively’s scores have been assisted, putting him in the NBA’s top 10 among players with at least 75 field goals per Stathead.com. Still, Lively has been far more efficient (74% from the field) than the similar players Dallas has tried in that spot, including JaVale McGee last year. And his defensive impact has been in the same ballpark as Holmgren and Wembanyama. It’s rare to see three players so strong defending the rim in the same rookie class.
—
4.Marks: LivelyLast season Dallas ranked 29th in field goal attempts and second-chance points. This season the addition of Lively has seen the Mavericks move up to fifth in attempts and 12th in second-chance points. Through the first two months, Lively has eight games of at least four offensive rebounds, ranking 16th among all players and first in the rookie class in offensive rebounds per game, ahead of Wembanyama and Ausar Thompson. He recently became only the third player in NBA history (joining Rudy Gobert and Dikembe Mutombo) to record 20 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks and 100% shooting in a game.
​
edit: one writer has him at no.3, the other at no.4.
It’s kinda surreal to see so many people seeing and recognizing that the Mavs got such a good one in Dereck Lively. Both on ESPN and in the r/nba comment thread. But, I think it’s just so obvious to everyone who’s watched Dallas at all this season how much of a difference Lively makes for them.
And personally, I have Lively at a solid #3 as well. Wemby and Chet are in a league of their own as rookies, but Lively is clearly better than anyone else, IMO
Texas and Oklahoma are stacked with the next gen of centers. Chet vs. Wemby vs. Sengun vs. Lively is going to be a fun decade of battles ahead of us.