Dallas Mavericks rookie center Dereck Lively II has been cleared of a serious neck injury after exiting Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals early. His availability for Game 4 of the series on Tuesday is currently uncertain.
Lively sustained the injury following a collision with Karl-Anthony Towns in the first half of Game 3. Towns’ knee made contact with the back of Lively’s head after the rookie center fell to the floor.
Throughout the season, Lively has been a valuable contributor to the Mavericks’ rotation. In 15 playoff games, the Duke product has posted averages of 8.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 21.5 minutes per game coming off the bench for Dallas.
With a 3-0 series lead over the Timberwolves, the Mavericks have the opportunity to close out the series at home on Tuesday.
