The Mavs have had one of the downfalls of the century. You don’t go from repping the West in the NBA finals to struggling to get a play-ins spot in 9 months by fluke. From major mismanagement decisions like trading Luka Doncic in his prime to possessing a torrid injury list- they’ve pretty much had the worst February an NBA franchise has ever seen. But the imminent returns of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford would be like a breath of fresh air.
A long-term injury can turn a young talent’s brains into a can of baked beans. You can only imagine what 21-year-old Dereck Lively II’s ankle fracture did to his season hopes. He came into the current season after a strong showing in his rookie season, especially after his 16/10 double-double in his debut against the Spurs. He ended the season in the All-Rookie Seam second team. Even in the 32 games this season, he’s averaged box…
