Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II is experiencing the NBA Finals in his first year, with assistance from 2011 Dallas championship-winner Tyson Chandler, as reported by Yahoo Sports‘ Jake Fischer.
Upon his return to the Mavericks’ locker room, Lively received advice and motivation from former Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler. Demonstrating the importance of perseverance and hard work, Chandler has remained involved with the Mavericks since his retirement, frequently supporting younger players like Lively.
Although Chandler was not physically present for Game 1 in Boston, he continued to encourage Lively during this critical period.
Lively shared Chandler’s advice to focus on the fundamentals and communication with teammates to stay connected on the court. His performance in the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves was exceptional, averaging 9.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in just under 22 minutes of play.
Setting a new record by converting all 16 of his field goal attempts in the playoffs series, Lively surpassed Chris Andersen’s achievement.
With a young core of players under 25 years old, the future of the Mavericks in Dallas appears promising.
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