DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks have been dealt another brutal injury blow.
Mavericks center Dereck Lively II has suffered a stress fracture in his right ankle and will be reevaluated in four weeks, the team announced Wednesday. ESPN reported that Lively is expected to miss two to three months. A Philadelphia native, the 7-foot-1 Lively starred in high school at the Westtown School.
The injury is another blow for a Mavericks team that has dealt with plenty of health issues all season long. Entering Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Mavericks listed more than half of their roster on the injury report with various ailments.
Lively shared a message to his Instagram story shortly after the news was reported. “I’ll be back,” he said, followed by a prayer hands emoji.
After missing the last two games with a right ankle sprain suffered last Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets, Lively was upgraded to questionable for Monday’s game in Charlotte. He was ruled out shortly before tipoff but watched the game on the bench with his teammates.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was asked during that pregame news conference if Lively was close to returning to the lineup.
“I don’t think so,” he said.
Lively missed four games in early November with a right shoulder sprain, one game in early December to a right knee hyperextension, three games with a left hip contusion, and the last three games with a right ankle sprain.
The reported timeline rules Lively out for at least 28 games until March 22. The window’s maximum of three months could have him sidelined for the rest of the regular season, and possibly the first couple of games of a first-round playoff series.
The Mavericks (23-20) stand seventh in the Western Conference, which positions them for the Play-In Tournament. They are 1½ games away from being out of the playoff picture.
Dallas has been without Mavericks star Luka Doncic since he suffered a left calf strain in the Christmas Day game against the Timberwolves. He is set to be reevaluated later this month but has no clear timetable to return. Dante Exum hasn’t played yet this season after he underwent right wrist surgery.
Jaden Hardy (right ankle sprain) and Dwight Powell (right hip strain) were listed as out against the Timberwolves. Lively was one of four Mavs listed as questionable, including Naji Marshall (illness), Quentin Grimes (back spasms), and Klay Thompson (left ankle sprain).
In his second NBA season, Lively had solidified his role as the starting center. He is averaging career highs in points (9.1), rebounds (7.8) and assists (2.6) while shooting over 70% from the floor.