(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Dallas Mavericks managed to see another day in the 2024 NBA Finals as they blew out the Boston Celtics by 38 points in Game 4 to force a Game 5.
Dallas played like a desperate team on their home floor as they defended with urgency which allowed them to capitalize on the offensive end.
The supporting cast has largely struggled to get much going against a stifling Boston defense, but the role players showed up in the elimination game.
Dereck Lively II has been a revelation during his rookie year and the young center hasn’t shown any signs of being fazed while playing in the Finals.
Lively was key in the team’s victory, recording a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds in just 22 minutes of action.
Lively’s Game 4 performance put him in the NBA Finals history books, via StatMamba.
“Dereck Lively II has the most rebounds by a rookie in a single postseason since 1980.”
Dereck Lively II has the most rebounds by a rookie in a single postseason since 1980. pic.twitter.com/Ehx72TKiGv
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) June 15, 2024
Through four Finals games, Lively has pulled down 37 total rebounds which is impressive given how few minutes he plays.
Daniel Gafford is the more experienced option at center and is more of a scoring threat near the rim, but Lively’s versatility defensively and athleticism has helped him clean up things near the painted area more often than not.
Dallas is fortunate to see Lively living up to expectations so far, but the team will need another group effort to pull of another upset.
The Mavericks might not win the series given they’re down 3-1, but their future is bright with Lively as one of their cornerstone pieces.
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