Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (ankle) is off the injury report and ready to play on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings. A bad ankle injury cost Lively II a significant portion of the season, and he still needs to manage it, which caused the young big man to sit out Sunday's regular-season finale against the Memphis Grizzlies. Since returning to the lineup, Lively II has averaged 16.0 minutes across four games, posting 5.5 points and 4.8 rebounds. He has not contributed much, but Lively II's role in Wednesday's contest could be very important, as Dallas needs to match Domantas Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas inside the paint.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (ankle) will miss at least one more game, as the team has downgraded him from questionable to out ahead of Monday's meeting with the Brooklyn Nets. A stress fracture in his right ankle has kept Lively II sidelined since mid-January, but he is nearing his return. In his pregame presser on Monday, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd told reporters that Lively II could return to action this week. His next opportunity to make a comeback will be on Wednesday versus the Atlanta Hawks. The Mavericks will then conclude this week's slate with a back-to-back set against the L.A. teams on Friday and Saturday.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (ankle) won't play on Saturday against the Bulls. He hasn't played since January. However, the 21-year-old was listed as doubtful heading into this one, so there's a good chance he'll be back at some point in the next few games. Daniel Gafford (knee) also won't suit up, meaning Kai Jones (hip), averaging 10.8 points and 8.0 boards in five starts this season, should handle most of the work at the five.

Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reports that Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (ankle) has progressed to individual court work after a recent re-evaluation. The 21-year-old will be re-evaluated weekly, but there is no official timetable for his return. Lively has been out of action since Jan. 4. With centers Anthony Davis(adductor) and Daniel Gafford(knee)still out, Lively could see plenty of extra minutes and scoring opportunities if he can return to the club's lineup sooner rather than later.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Dallas Mavericks centerDereck Lively II(foot) was diagnosed Wednesday with a small fracture in his right foot and is expected to miss two to three months. The 20-year-old big man averaged 26.8 minutes per contest in the near year during the Mavericks' first six games. Unfortunately, he was injured on January 14th against the Nuggets. Initially, the injury was thought to be a right ankle sprain. However, further examination showed structural damage to his foot. While Lively is out of action, Daniel Gafford will continue to start at center. Gafford recently posted 21 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, six blocks, and one steal across 34 minutes during Monday's loss to Charlotte.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (ankle) is questionable heading into Wednesday's game against Minnesota. The 20-year-old sprained his ankle in the meeting with the Denver Nuggets on January 14. As a result, he wasn't available for the Mavericks' previous three contests. Daniel Gafford has been starting in Lively's place, most recently amassing 31 points, 15 rebounds, and seven blocks in Monday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets, giving him added credibility for fantasy managers.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (ankle) has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Lively is dealing with a right ankle sprain that will force him to miss his third straight game. Lively has been a solid rebounder for Dallas this season, averaging 7.8 RPG, so his presence will be missed on the glass. In his absence, expect Daniel Gafford to stay in the starting lineup. Gafford has averaged 13.4 PPG and 6.4 RPG as a starter this season, making him a sneaky contributor against Charlotte as the Hornets have been a bit weak against centers over their last seven games.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (ankle) will miss a second consecutive game on Friday versus Oklahoma City. The young big man sprained his right ankle on Tuesday against Denver. Lively II's absence gives Daniel Gafford a massive role in the middle. After moving to the starting lineup, he finished Wednesday's contest against New Orleans with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks in 30 minutes. Gafford also looks set for a productive outing on Friday, with the Thunder ranked 25th in rebounding rate.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (ankle) won't play on Wednesday versus the Pelicans. The 20-year-old suffered a sprained ankle in Tuesday's loss to the Denver Nuggets, ending his night after only four minutes of work. Fortunately, X-rays were negative, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day. In the meantime, Daniel Gafford, averaging 12.8 points, 6.1 boards, and 1.6 blocks in 15 starts this season, should be included in all fantasy lineups, even more so if Kyrie Irving (back) doesn't play.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (ankle) was ruled out for the remainder of Tuesday's matchup with the Nuggets. Lively logged four points and a block. However, he played only four minutes before suffering a right ankle sprain. The 20-year-old has missed eight contests this season, so fantasy managers are hoping the latest injury won't keep him off the floor long. In the meantime, Daniel Gafford will handle things in the middle, with Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell expected to be more involved, at least for the rest of Tuesday's game.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (hip) will play on Wednesday against the Rockets. He has missed the last three games because of a hip contusion, although it doesn't appear as if it will limit his time on the floor. However, Lively has averaged only 8.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks this season, so he's not the most reliable scorer. With that said, his presence should mean less work for Daniel Gafford, with Maxi Kleber likely getting removed from the equation almost entirely.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (hip) is questionable for Wednesday's matchup with the Rockets. The 20-year-old is still a work in progress, averaging 8.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks. He's been sidelined for the last three games because of a hip contusion. If Lively misses another game on Wednesday night, Daniel Gafford, coming off an eight-point, six-rebound, five-block effort in Monday's loss to the Kings, remains a must-start. Maxi Kleber should also stay in the picture if Lively doesn't suit up, although he's not a reliable fantasy option by any means.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (hip) will continue to sit against the Kings on Monday. Dallas has downgraded Lively II from questionable to out, resulting in the talented big man's third consecutive absence. With the Mavericks thin on the frontcourt, Maxi Kleber started alongside Daniel Gafford on Saturday against Portland. Kleber failed to score but led the team with five assists and completed his line with eight rebounds and two blocks. Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Dwight Powell will have a chance to fill minutes off the bench, but fantasy managers should ignore them.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (hip) will sit out Friday's action against Phoenix. Lively II landed on the injury report with a questionable designation ahead of the game and has now been ruled out because of a hip contusion. This will likely push Daniel Gafford to the starting unit. The Dallas big men have shared minutes quite evenly throughout the campaign, and Gafford's numbers haven't changed much as a starter. However, with Lively II out of the rotation, his playing time might increase, which should also boost Gafford's productivity. It's a good matchup for him on Friday, as Phoenix gives up the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (hip) is dealing with a hip contusion and is considered questionable to face the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. The young big man started in the team's last game on Christmas and posted six points, 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocks across 30 minutes. If he's unable to play, Daniel Gafford could be the one to move into the starting five. He averages 12.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks across 20.1 minutes per game.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (knee) will play on Tuesday night versus the Memphis Grizzlies. The 20-year-old has averaged 8.8 points, 7.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks during the 2024-25 campaign, so he hasn't been the most consistent source of production for fantasy managers. But his presence should lower the fantasy potential of Daniel Gafford, who had 19 points in 27 minutes in Sunday's win over Portland. However, both men are capable of having big nights, giving them credibility for fantasy managers. On the other hand, Dwight Powell, who logged 15 minutes against the Blazers, will have a tough time getting on the floor.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (knee) is listed as questionable ahead of Tuesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The big man has a chance to return after missing Sunday's game due to a right knee injury. Another absence would result in Daniel Gafford to continue seeing increased playing time. This season, Gafford is averaging 12.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 21 minutes per game. He posted 19 points on Sunday and a double-double during the game before that. Gafford is looking like a solid fantasy option if Lively is unable to play on Tuesday.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against Portland. He injured his right knee in Saturday's matchup versus Utah. Due to Lively II's absence, Daniel Gafford gets a chance to join the first unit, with Maxi Kleber working as the backup big. Portland struggles to rebound the ball, so Gafford finds himself in a good position to post a second consecutive double-double. He finished Saturday's action with 14 points and 11 boards in 24 minutes.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (illness) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's game against the New York Knicks after exiting the team's most recent contest early due to illness. The 20-year-old has been a solid contributor this season, averaging 8.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in 22.0 minutes per game. If Lively is unable to suit up, Daniel Gafford is likely to draw the start, with Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell also stepping up to fill the void. Fantasy managers will want to monitor his status leading up to Wednesday's game.

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (shoulder) will make his return to the court ahead of Tuesday's game against the Golden State Warriors. The big man is ready to go after missing the last four games due to a shoulder sprain. The 20-year-old has been a solid contributor and figures to resume his role as primary backup center. He's averaging 9.3 points and 8.2 rebounds across 23 minutes per game this season. The return of Lively should mean that Dwight Powell gets less time in the rotation.