Mavericks’ Dereck Lively To Play For First Time In 36 Games

Mavericks center Dereck Lively II is set to return to action for a Wednesday night tilt against Atlanta, per a team press release (via Twitter).

Lively has missed 36 consecutive contests for the Mavericks. The second-year pro has been on the shelf since January 14 with a right ankle stress fracture.

Dallas head coach Jason Kidd told reporters that the 7’1″ big man will be operating on a 15-minute restriction, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).

Ahead of the postseason, several previously ailing Mavericks are healing. Beyond Lively, fellow big men Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford recently returned to the lineup.

Among the Mavs’ core rotation, only nine-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving — arguably the team’s most important player — is out long-term, as he recuperates from surgery to address an ACL tear. Forward P.J. Washington is also out, for now, due to an undisclosed illness.

Before his injury, the Duke alum had taken over starting duties at the five from Gafford early in the season. It remains to be seen how Kidd will ultimately deploy his big man rotation with Davis, Lively and Gafford all having started at center for the team this year.

In his 32 healthy games for the team, including 25 starts, Lively has averaged 9.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.7 blocks per night.

At present, the Mavericks occupy the No. 9 seed in the competitive Western Conference. They’re just a half-game ahead of the No. 10 Kings and two games up on the No. 11 Suns.