Panic could be setting in for the Dallas Mavericks as their injury news continues to worsen. On Wednesday, it was announced that center Dereck Lively II has a foot fracture and will be out for two to three months, adding to the list of ailments suffered by some of the more important players on the Mavs roster.
Mavericks Will Be Without Lively For 2–3 Months
The Mavericks entered the 2024-25 season with high expectations. After making a surprise appearance in the NBA Finals last June, they had +1000 championship odds coming into this regular season, and were returning most of their biggest contributors while adding Klay Thompson to the lineup in the process.
Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II has sustained a small fracture in his foot and is expected to miss 2-to-3 months, sources tell ESPN. Critical loss for the Mavs. pic.twitter.com/XJje4eZQsY
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 22, 2025
Just before the holidays, Dallas was tied for third place in the Western Conference. They had gotten out to a record of 17-9, and looked poised to finish with one of the better playoff seeds when all was said and done.
But things went awry on Christmas. Luka Dončić, the team’s star and leading scorer, suffered a calf injury in a game against the Timberwolves. It was reported that he would be re-evaluated in a month, and there is still no clear timetable for the 25-year-old’s return. His absence has been apparent, as Dallas has gone 6-11 in the 17 games that Doncic has missed, and are now in 7th place and just 1.5 games ahead of the 10th and final playoff spot.
Doncic & Irving Have Both Missed Significant Time
The foot fracture suffered by Lively certainly won’t help matters. The 7-footer had started 25 of the 32 games he’s played in this year, and is an important piece given the team’s lack of depth at the center position. He has been just the 9th-leading scorer on the team, but is tied for the lead in rebounds per game, and is the second-most efficient offensive player on the team with his field goal percentage of 70%.
Making the big man rotation even shorter, Dwight Powell will be out for Wednesday’s game against eh the Timberwolves, leaving Daniel Gafford as the only healthy center on the team’s roster.
Kyrie Irving has missed 9 games thus far as well, and is hoping to avoid surgery after suffering a bulging disk in his back earlier in the month.
Can the Mavericks stay afloat through the injury issues? Their next three games present tough tasks, as they’ll take on the Thunder and Celtics after their game against Minnesota. They have a 5-game road trip on the horizon, and will be looking to remain in the playoff picture in the West until the eventual return of Doncic to the lineup.
