Dereck Lively II is out for the Dallas Mavericks against the Toronto Raptors.
Maxi Kleber will start in place of Mavs rookie Dereck Lively II, who was added to the team’s injury report after the game.
ATLANTA — Dereck Lively II was added to the injury report prior to the Dallas Mavericks’ game against the Toronto Raptors. Prior to being declared out of the game on Wednesday, his status was uncertain.
Maxi Kleber (dislocation of the right small toe) was the only injury listed on the Mavs’ injury report on Tuesday and early Wednesday morning, aside from the players on two-way contracts being assigned to G League teams. Prior to the game, Kleber was listed as active.
Lively was added to the Mavs’ injury report after missing their morning shootaround at American Airlines Center due to illness. Because of a non-COVID ailment, his eligibility to play is deemed questionable.
After Lively picked up fouls in the second half of the Mavs’ victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday, the team did use small ball lineups, starting Derrick Jones Jr. at center. Dallas swarmed the half-court, setting the pace offensively and creating advantages defensively.
Mavs coach Jason Kidd stated on Monday, “I thought the small ball with D. Jones (Derrick Jones Jr.) at the five was good for us tonight.” “We tried it a lot in Denver, but it wasn’t quite successful. However, once more, I felt that our ability to grab rebounds and limit those players to a one-for-six 3-point shooting effort in the second half was crucial.
The Mavs would lose their lone true seven-footer and his seven-foot-7 wingspan if Lively were to leave the court. His wingspan has been useful in play-finishing sequence completion and rim protection early in the game. In seven games, he has averaged 9.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.
Due to his toe injury, Kleber has missed the Mavs’ last two games despite averaging 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 points, and 1.5 assists in his four games this season. Since the injury happened last Wednesday during the team’s victory over the Chicago Bulls, it has been deemed questionable for him to play based on the team’s daily injury reports.
