Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II left Sunday’s playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves early after suffering a possible concussion.
Lively was knocked down during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center after taking a brutal but accidental knee to the head from Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns.
The 20-year-old had fallen while Mike Conley was driving to attempt a missed shot, and Towns was looking for an offensive rebound when his knee hit his head.
Lively spent several minutes on the court before he was finally helped up and returned to the locker room for concussion protocol.
He had scored six points to that point in Game 3 of the Mavs’ Western Conference finals against the Timberwolves, having helped his team both offensively and defensively during their deep playoff run this season.
Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II left Sunday’s playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves early after suffering a possible concussion.
Lively spent several minutes on the floor before he was finally helped up and back into the locker room.
The center made 12 of 12 field goals in the series, including three baskets in Game 3, when he was injured.
There was no immediate word on whether Lively would return, but it seemed likely that she would head into concussion protocol.
Dallas headed into Sunday’s Game 3 with a 2-0 bench lead following Luka Doncic’s heroics on Friday night.
Doncic looked to find space as the clock ticked down, using a screen to draw Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the top of the key and a crossover dribble to set up his step-back 3-pointer.
The Slovenian superstar scored the game-winning goal with 3 seconds left and recorded his fifth triple-double of the playoffs to lead the Mavericks to a 109-108 victory over the Timberwolves.
‘I was just trying to get to my place and take a step back. “I have confidence in that shot,” Doncic said.
Doncic had 32 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for his eighth triple-double in 42 career playoff games for the Mavericks, who erased an 18-point deficit that remained at the end of the second quarter and still trailed 16-point. half of the third.