The Dallas Mavericks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 131-120 Saturday night, but they did take a big loss as well after rookie center Dereck Lively II left the game with an ankle injury. The good news is, after the game, the Mavs got a best-they-could-hope injury update on Lively that has to make Mavs superstar Luka Doncic relieved.“Mavericks coach Jason Kidd says ‘just a sprained ankle’ for Dereck Lively II after X-rays in Portland were negative,” NBA insider Marc Stein reported after the game.

A sprained ankle will likely put Lively out for several games, which isn’t ideal, but it is obviously much better than some of the alternatives.

Lively, the Duke center who was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has quickly become a key piece of the Mavs’ starting five and a big reason the team is off to a hot start this season with the third-best record in the Western Conference (16-9) through 25 games.

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The big man has started 22 of the 23 games he’s appeared in and averages 25.3 minutes per game. Lively is also averaging 8.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. He’s become an excellent pick-and-roll partner for Luka Doncic and seems like he is the rim protector the Mavs haven’t had since Tyson Chandler.

This injury will test Jason Kidd, Luka Doncic, and the rest of the Mavs, who are already without guard Kyrie Irving. The star has missed the last four Mavs games with a heel injury.

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