Mavericks' Lively Exits Game 3 With Neck Sprain
Karl-Anthony Towns' Knee Strikes Livelys Neck
Lively II Leaves Court After Second-Quarter Incident
DALLAS, Texas -- Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II exited Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday after suffering a neck sprain from an inadvertent knee strike to the neck and back of his head from Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns in the second quarter.
Lively II was helped off the court and did not return to the game. The official medical report released before Game 3 did not disclose the nature of the injury, but it is believed to be a neck sprain. Lively II is expected to undergo further evaluation on Monday.
The injury occurred with 7:39 remaining in the second quarter when Towns attempted to block a shot by Lively II. Towns' knee inadvertently struck the back of Livelys head, causing him to fall to the court in pain. The play was reviewed by officials, who determined that it was an unintentional foul by Towns.
Livelys injury is a significant blow to the Mavericks, who are already without star guard Luka Doncic due to a calf strain. Lively II has been a key contributor for Dallas this season, averaging 12.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. His absence will be felt in the paint, where he provides a strong defensive presence and is a capable scorer.
The Mavericks will face the Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night at Target Center in Minneapolis. It is unclear if Lively II will be available to play.
Comments