How A Rookie Changed Everything For The Mavericks

[@behindthearcyt]

Dereck Lively being this good already was one of the biggest surprises this season. I would say he’s the 3rd most important player on the mavs and he’s only a rookie. He reminds me so much of tyson chandler excited to see him and luka play with each other for the next decade.

[@HoopVenue]

Couldn't agree more!

[@xavierb9061]

Best part they traded chandler and struggled, so cuban not same mistake

[@MrLycan1995]

Lively's maturity is understated. There has been plenty examples of big men that try to do more than they should offensively. Lively really just play within his role, get most out of the opponent gives him and do all the little things on the other end. There's a reason he end up with 100% fg in the conference finals. Great player and this is only the beginning for him.

[@HookedonChronics]

Chandler has been working with him all season, it's great

[@skullxishim]

Which is why his decision making is excellent especially for a rookie!@@MrLycan1995

[@VoltaDoMar]

He's improved so much just during these playoffs, he's learning fast. It's crazy to think of what he will be in a few years

[@prestoCreams]

He's a high IQ player

[@VoltaDoMar]

@@prestoCreams yeah, he really does seem very smart and quick to learn.

[@cristdan-ut5di]

He will get his 100 million contract within 4 years?

[@djkido316]

@@cristdan-ut5di yes.

[@Smido83]

@@cristdan-ut5di Baring injuries, no question! By that time he will be a 15 PPG/12 RPG/3 APG/2 BPG 30+ minute starter and all defense level Center... I think 100 Mio is even low balling.

[@orangesilver4568]

Him and Gafford being switched with each other keeps them fresh an has helped the Mavericks immensely.

[@aceloco817]

Seen a channel saying that Lively should take Gaffords minutes. That's ridiculous. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[@orangesilver4568]

@@aceloco817 They are putting up comparable numbers and they remain fresh throughout the game which hurts other teams that have only one solid big.

[@d36williams]

@@orangesilver4568 arguably Chet Holgrem is better than either one of them, but was winded keeping up with two of them

[@orangesilver4568]

@@d36williams That's why it works they wear out other teams centers by constantly subbing in Lively II and Gafford they have time to catch their breath. The same thing can happen to Porzingis when they play the Celtics.

[@NeoPayneHK]

its good that they have each other's back!!! wishing they keep them both for years to make an other playoff/championship run!!!

[@pinobluevogel6458]

A couple of things you didn't specifically mention: Lively also is a very communicative defender, you actually hear him call out coverages in the game. His energy is through the roof, which works really well with these shorts stints of play combined with Gafford, constantly giving 100% every minute he is on the floor. He is also really fast for a seven footer, capable of running the floor in seconds to catch Luka throwing a crazy outlet pass across the court for an easy dunk. Part of what makes his plus-minus so high is how good he is defensively. He might block less actual shots at the rim like Gafford does, but his overall defense is excellent, being able to switch and stay vertical. His minutes often coincide with the 2nd quarter Kyrie solo playmaking, which works really well for him, as the Mavs pace of play goes up quite substantially when Kyrie is running the floor. His minutes also coincide with the last minutes of play, crunch time in the 4th quarter. He is a better freethrow shooter than Gafford, so it makes sense to have him there. But the Mavs are also the best 4th quarter team in the league, so that adds to his plus-minus as well. You could argue he is the 3rd most important Mav at this time, though PJ Washington has had some moments these playoffs too. I wouldn't want to choose between the 2 of them, they are both excellent.

[@HoopVenue]

I’m so glad you mentioned the communication. I wanted to talk about it but couldn’t find clips. Every time you watch the Mavs he’s screaming!

[@pinobluevogel6458]

@@HoopVenue Aye, I find this very impressive how a rookie is guiding his team on defense. We expect this from veterans, not from first year players :)

[@Rulo7800]

i think this shows that people should understand that rookies or just regular hooper's need to understand, you don't need to be a unicorn to be a valueable player

[@catalogueboys2538]

When every big man is trying to be a unicorn, nobody will be special. Plus who the hell will play inside? 6'3 guards? 😂

[@petourivsbranch5611]

Lively is still a unicorn in a way. Him being as agile as he is for 7-1 is pretty freakish

[@aggressivelyamicable5987]

Lively is a unicorn. He's 7'1" but highly athletic and agile. That's not at all normal for someone his size.

[@BurritoKingdom]

Tyson Chandler is the Mavs big man player development coach and did a great job with Lively

[@bruskydu]

Ohh that's why I am seeing 2011 Tyson Chandler on him.

[@frederickdelius1106]

You can see he's a fast learner too. No doubt you can see the impact on both him and gafford.

[@ShanLoHoops]

if that’s true then the lively is in good hands

[@fenderjohn8554]

agree

[@HoodXFlocktv]

Ahhh makes sense

[@observedot7490]

I literally had no concept of this dude being 7'1, hes so damn fluid i simply assumed he was a 6'8 6'9, damn

[@manidk1508]

Same

[@ronibarlund4464]

And that 7'1 was without shoes so he is easily 7'2 on the floor. Oh and he just turned 20 so there is a chance that he might still grow a little. Unique player for sure.

[@theokingshango]

tall yes but embiid tall😵

[@hammerbros20]

Gafford and Lively will be the reason the mavericks win against the celtics! Incredible breakdown! Looking forward to the Kyrie video!

[@thomasfischer9259]

Washington is low-key the reason they are locked in on defense

[@babalei3558]

I would like that, but Porzingis might be a problem with floor stretching, dont know is he coming back

[@michaelahurt]

Definitely not. They really aren’t going to have much impact against Boston because of how the Celtics play on both ends.They neutralize rim running interior bigs and make them borderline unplayable It will be a Maxi Kleber series that ultimately comes down to three point shooting. Whichever team shoots better will win.

[@Nppppppoppppppppp]

@@babalei3558even if he comes back he will prob be on bench for game 1 and will be rusty and not 100%

[@eddieflores7509]

So glad he’s on our team 💪🙏🙌

[@MCVseit1997]

Lively is so valuable already, his + - is remarkable and he went 16/16 in the series against Minnesota ... pulverized an old NBA record with that!

[@nocturne311]

This kid is impressive. If Dallas wins, I figure that they’ll be the first team in 30 years to do so while featuring a rookie as one of their top five players (1994 Rockets - Cassell). I’m a Celtics fan and I have Boston in six, but best of luck to the Mavericks and their fans and may the best team win.

[@MCVseit1997]

Fair play man, this is gonna be a great series! Yall gonna need Porzingis for size tho, otherwise there will be a real average for the Mavs.

[@phildark5805]

Eso mismo, juego limpio por favor.

[@mr.kwamid-86_43]

what aboot norris cole XD

[@A6T605]

Luka last night dishes out an assist to Lively for a dunk and yells "YOU GUYS ARE F***** WE GOT DERECK LIVELY" Its even on official NBA highlight of the game 5 at minute mark 9:08.

[@mistermp_1811]

cool timestamp B)

[@phildark5805]

9:08 de cual Cuarto ?

[@A6T605]

@@phildark5805 official NBA yt channel game 5 Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves

[@Edogawa199X]

Luka is a great leader he always gives credit to his teammates

[@MrSuckeragi]

Joker raised the bar so much on Bigs... we forget that being good at just one thing is an asset to most teams

[@swish4realbasketball]

Love the Lively breakdown!

[@paulensor9984]

Given Lively's minutes, his contribution to the team is even more amazing

[@makellrose9684]

Everyone is saying the celtics are going to destroy the mavericks. It’s going to be the other way around. People seriously don’t see how overrated JT and JB are, they will soon.

[@johnrouguine3090]

Nobody said ts

[@Ball2930.]

If Porzingus comes back, Celtics in 4 or 5. Everyone in the Celtics primary rotation is a 3 level scoring threat, can all create their own shots and can score well from the post. For their position they play, Jrue, Brown and Tatum are super strong. A thing TWolves were heavily missing is a true point guard to can facilitate and space the floor for the team, and you see that when Mavs are getting stops on TWolves and forcing them to pass to each other and not anyone who’ll make plays. Derrick White can make plays very well but can also score from everywhere very efficiently. Porzingus being too tall and long while being a great shooter can shoot from the 3 point line and deep field a lot, forcing Lively to go deep field to stay on Porzingus, allowing Jrue to dominate the paint since he’s probably the strongest guard and that’s a mismatch for anybody. Same can be executed with Porzingus and Horford. Luka is usually on backside help on defence and yes he does run to the corner when they’re open and enough to give a contest, Jrue Holiday is 70% in corner 3s this season so there’s some free buckets. With this amount of help, Tatum and Brown are going to pop off with the threats they’re applying since they’ll get constant mismatches. Expect an average of 30 points from Brown and Tatum. Unlike TWolves, Celtics have the best defensive backcourts in the league with 2 all nba defenders.

[@Unknowndarksoul]

@@Ball2930.delusional, but go off

[@jikalcastro5355]

@@Ball2930.Celtics are going to fold yes on paper they are better and should win this series but the level of competitiveness that the mavs been on compared to Celtics has been way different mavs are going to stun Celtics wouldn’t be surprised to see Mavs sweep the Celtics either

[@waff6ix]

FACTS BRO JASON TATUM IS THE MOST OVERRATED PLAYER IN THE NBA💯

[@RasuiTheFallen]

love the consistency in these playoffs, bro straight on the grind

[@Mrjvc163]

I was very optimistic with Lively but this was nowhere near what I predicted. What a home run pick up by the Mavs. Just incredible!

[@lasoota555]

What a good video coming from a Mavs fan who understood most of this before this video but now I learned more😊

[@user-hf6vy8xc4i]

It was a bit of a joke that he didn’t make the all NBA rookie 1st team. A lot of people were sleeping on Lively! Mavs loss in game 4 without him only to come back to a blow out the TWolves should show everyone how important he is to the Mavs this year

[@trelavon724]

wake up babe, new hoop venue vid

[@TiagoSilva-ro5bq]

I love his passion, you can see mentally is very strong and that very important

[@HiAmDerks]

His IQ and maturity is what also makes him an amazing player at his age

[@thugtrippin]

Sideshow Lob!! I love this kid, cannot believe he’s 20!

[@vory4313]

lively is overshadowed because of his numbers but people forget he doesn’t even start

[@HoopVenue]

Been one of the most impactful players in the playoffs and he’s only playing 22 MPG off the bench!

[@skullxishim]

yeah he averages like 22 minutes last time I check what I like about him is his maturity and decision making which is excellent and he is a ROOKIE! This is shown through him having 100% FG in the conference finals! He broke a record for the most shots made going 100% in a conference finals. His decision making is excellent and he does all the little things right not doing too much or too little.

[@skullxishim]

I’m very excited to see him develop as he still got so much he could add to his game.

[@skullxishim]

To see him develop over the years*

[@aceloco817]

​@@skullxishimseen Lively shoot 3's in practice on a video a couple weeks ago. Would be crazy if he developed a consistent 3. He'd fit in the mold of what every team wants nowadays. Perennial All Defensive Team incoming....

[@anonymouscosmonaut]

Great analysis; i hadn't been able to watch the games so it's nice to see a full work-up on Lively and his impact. Very encouraging for a Mavs fan like me. It's also encouraging for the Final's implications. You exposed a concern with the Boston plus/minus numbers, but Lively definitely helps us there it would seem. Great composition on the video as well. Kudos. God Bless.

[@jayyyyyyyyy7524]

you’re vid always teaches me something , keep it up.

[@HoopVenue]

Glad you enjoy!

[@SungJinwoo666]

i am so happy yo find this channel , great video .

[@MrDingbat4life]

love this analysis. his impact on both ends of the floor during these playoffs have been absolutely crucial, and i can't wait to see him show out in these finals.

[@ukog6048]

We're asking this rookie too much and I love how the Mavs chemistry is..

[@obedblack3073]

This draft class was so good defensively. I can legitimately see 7-8 guys from it making all defense teams. Wemby, Lively, Cason Wallace, both thompsons, Brandon Miller is a maybe but he showed flashes of being a great defender, Jarace Walker didn't get much play time but he's an amazing defender as well, Vince Williams is also great and there's probably more that I'm forgetting about.

[@jason10184]

If Lively develops a reliable midrange jumper its actually over for the rest of the league

[@HooksyCollins]

If he can get that Lil' push shot from in front the freethrow line in it's over. He develops a reliable middy it's just gon' be fake🤣🤣

[@leonardo_mrll]

mid ranges? have you seen him shoot 3s in practise and at the draft combine? he has a real shooting touch and could develope ane 3pt shot but as of rn i'd make him develope some post moves to have a fiest on smaller players

[@michaelahurt]

If Lively develops a post game. He’s never going to be a primary scorer so a mid-range is irrelevant. Being able to pop or roll might be nice but you’ll see Boston switch Luka-Lively/Gafford PnR and just eliminate it If he can destroy switches someday - the way Porzingis does now - then _that_ will make him unguardable

[@leonardo_mrll]

@@michaelahurt i swear if he developes just a bit of post moves and power moves its wraps cuz Dallas gon have the top 1 offense every year💀 lively already punishing switches and he Is playing a bit smaller than he Is .... that MF Is 7'1 he could really make every switch pay with just 1 power dribble and a push shot or hook shot... and if he ads a fade its over

[@Smido83]

As far as I understand, he was 225 lbs in college and is already at 235 right now. Let him ad 10-15 more and he will have the strengh needed, while still be able to keep his mobility and bounce. Combine that with his very high BB IQ and great work ethic and the sky is the limit for him.

[@michaelahurt]

The mobility will go away as he ages and adds weight. Bam is like the one exception but he’s only 6’9” Once you get over about 235 the ability change direction and stop/start is not the same. Once all that weight starts moving it’s hard to stop Physically this probably the best he’ll ever be tbh

[@chesternabua6783]

I'm really seeing the resemblance of this mavs to the '11 squad and this kid's game is similar to tyson chandler. As he's mentoring this kid im seeing multiple defensive teams ahead.

[@bigred9991]

Lively was so good early in the season that teams were reaching out to the Mavs asking what they wanted for Lively. I think it was around a month into the season, teams were trying to trade for him. Thats crazy.

[@michelazzam173]

The lively , wemby , chet experience changed the leagu view on the importance of bigs after the small ball era that the warriors imposed on everyone. Now centers like clingan are getting huge buzz for next draft as teams will compete to get him and hope he turns out good to try to catch up with where the trend in the league is heading.

[@WYNNBETS]

Dereck Lively will develop into something like Tim Duncan. The Dallas Mavericks will become the first dynasty of this generation of basketball.

[@waff6ix]

KYRIE FINNA WIN A RING IN BOSTON🤩🤩

[@adigunowiradi7427]

Dude's moving so agile for a big man. if he improve his handling and having a reliable floater, he would be a monster.

[@ThePenitentSquirrel]

If you were to take the ROY vote now, he might not win, but damn he be a close second. I'm not try to fluff the kid up, but he has been one of the most impressive defenders in clutch time in the entire playoffs of any player (well at the same time being a rookie)

[@cherby27]

Give Tyson Chandler some credit. He's doing a phenomenal job training this kid!

[@Scubascub22]

Him an gaff are basically tag team champs

[@Nobrainer19073]

He is great compliment to Luka and Kyrie’s game. Defensive rebound and rim protection are two huge weaknesses of Mavs. He is very mature young man too. Hope he will stay in Mavs, learning from Tyson Chandler and develop different part of his game over time.

[@frostyyy3671]

No one could match the excitement I had on draft day seeing shams report we traded with okc and selected lively

[@rikblauer]

Gafford and Lively have been a perfect complement for Dallas Mavericks. Lively is more focused under de post defending or capturing as much rebound as he can. Gafford is a great defender as well, but he is a little bit more aggressive, and capable to beat players one on one due to his strength and muscular body as well. One guy provides size, tactical skills and other strength.

[@nbapbaupdate8338]

Derrick Lively amazing BACK UP center for Dallas this playoffs

[@JumpingJack79]

For me one of the best things about game 5 was seeing that Lively had recovered from his neck injury.

[@calebstephan2083]

Crazy how much the team imrpoved after getting lively, washington and gafford. When it was just luka and kyrie with average role players they were getting cooked because they didnt have good defenders. Having lively, gafford and pj to make up for the lack of defense made them deadly

[@albaraaa]

I think his best attribute is positioning especially for a rookie he is always moving looking for the best position

[@bowaster57]

DeAndre Jordan is his best comp. I know people have forgotten because we're used to seeing old DJ now but some of us still remember how much of a force he was in the short roll for a while, I know Brandon Knight remembers. Lively has DJ beat for BBIQ and DJ has Lively beat for rebounding though.

[@alrs1006]

DLive is what the mavs needed, a solid center, and alongside with gafford the mavs can win it all

[@larryhuddleston55]

Lively has the same impact that Roy Tarpley did as a rookie, block a shot, gather the ball, outlet pass, and then run the floor and finish at the rim. I was most impressed at his free throw going in during pressure time. A great pick that will show more next year.

[@thomasbarry8869]

what's up hoop venue. love the player breakdowns. Derick lively is gonna be a problem very soon!

[@HoopVenue]

What's up! Thanks for the support

[@thomasbarry8869]

@@HoopVenue if u pin this i'll subscribe

[@Enlightened_SpursFan]

@@thomasbarry8869 just sub bro dont be fake like that

[@chrisschaeffer9661]

At the beginning of the season they asked Scoot Henderson who is the Hidden Gem and Scoot said Derrick Lively.

[@spaniardboy214]

If he and Gafford can add a mid range game it would be insane. So they can slip to mid range high post area and knock down open shots

[@liammurtagh8122]

5:06 bro Luka shot that horizontally wtf 🤣

[@michaelpinaroc1091]

Even Luka was impressed by the rookie

[@DunningKrugerJnr]

Great analysis bruh, top shelf 👏

[@magnusolsson28]

I think it is really interresting that a play finisher type player, with a concrete role, can be so impactful. When every single team are looking for offensive creators in every position. One has the higher floor, the other the higher ceiling. And maybe not all 5 players on the has to be ceiling raisers. Sweet for mavs.

[@steviechampagne]

Lively is a beast. A gift from the basketball gods

[@rossmcewan7204]

he went to the perfect team for him you see it so often when a team drafts/trades for a plyer and they dont look like they did when on a different team they would shine

[@ThuanTran-nv9yb]

He has exceeded all expectations as a rookie playing on the biggest stages. Shout out to Tyson Chandler for his development. Would like for him to work on his one dribble footwork in the paint and also his free throws since he draws a lot of contact. He will eventually develop his 3 point later in his career.

[@jesusfreak316]

great research my friend. Well done

[@patience9323]

you earned a sub with this one my man

[@HoopVenue]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@benw1656]

He's shown some skill as a intermediate passer at the top of the key too. He's gotten a couple assists passing to the corners when Luka has been doubled in the backcourt.

[@prestoCreams]

Thanks for giving props to my boy dlive

[@GTR24]

Horford, Porzingis, Kornet are gonna struggle

[@vutran3758]

Lively is a star in the making

[@enzorolfe8915]

I hope buddy stays healthy in the finals

[@HsHixi]

He definitely improved especially with more minutes through the year, gafford coming definitely limited him but he’s been impressive through the playoffs. Especially this wolves series

[@rogerhuston8287]

Lively got lucky, the Mavs are the perfect fit for him. He does one thing well and the Mavs can best leverage it.

[@bigred9991]

The obvious comparison is Tyson Chandler, but he also reminds me of a yound Dwight Howard but skinnier. When he bulks up a little bit and develops a post game hes going to be unbelievable. Especially with Luka at the helm.

[@Poopoocachoo]

Mavs fan-I’ve been screaming since Luka’s rookie year to get a lob threat around him, not just 3pt shooters. The Mavs gave him three this year in Lively, Gafford, and DJJ and they’ve made it to the finals. Also, haven’t made it through the entire video yet but I hope you mention how he’s a promising distributor already and has above average passing upside as a big. He’ll never be Jokic but he can be a 3+ APG guy in the future I think

[@ch3ckm8]

if he can develop a post up game, he'll be a top tier center. He really doesn't need to be shooting 3's. His role in the pick and roll is so much more effective in team basketball.

[@NC-jc8wj]

Crazy thing is livelys got a strap with the corner 3… vids are out there they’re just making sure he’s got his fundamentals down but don’t be surprised when sometime in the next two years he’s shooting at least league average from 3

[@sabirmuhammed8284]

Great video references syncing with the commentary.

[@bnsz8704]

He’s been so good

[@jesushendrix1774]

Dallas Lively. We love this kid over here.

[@jackiebartolo235]

Ive had my eye on him all year great find perfect for what Luka and Kyrie need and his defence make me think of prime DJ on them lob city days

[@faieziabubakar207]

Smart move on coach.. don't give him much to do but the things he does are highly efficient

[@artnoahgreblo2332]

we need that kyrie vid soon, great breakdown btw

[@dk-hv1nz]

young big man which bring a lot of defensive energy to the team. he is one of the reason why the Mavs made it this far. he sits out one game with the wolves and the Mavs lose.

[@doomsday_72]

My favorite thing about this mavs team is almost all of our guys show up like the only droppers have been exum and hardaway

[@ireqsavagevocaldinosaur5795]

I think Exum and Hardaway are trade af this off season

[@Lifrit]

If Dirk could work with him over the summer on some hook shots, dribble drives, and passing reads, Lively is going to have a killer second season.

[@DugSundance]

Lively in year 3 is going to be cold af

[@olduniversal1871]

Good breakdown 🌟

[@NeoPayneHK]

when you know mark gotta hire legend tyson chandler to train with this little young guy this means something!

[@Night-xu8yu]

Awesome video as usual. Are you going to do a Mavs vs Celtics preview?

[@scottatkins3299]

Perfect example of knowing what you're role is.

[@mycabbages3538]

He’s exactly the kind of big Luka needed.

[@kurtcometa4818]

Lively have a potential to be an even taller and more athletic Pau Gasol. He has a soft touch and also a lob threat. Very versatile player with a ton of potential

[@Blitzkit]

I still believe he is one huge factor for that wolves win. Him missing that game 4 led to mavs trying to adjust a rotation without lively. And that was due to game 3 KAT's doing. They need to have a match up with kyrie's before even thinking of fighting with mavs. If not then yeah you will easily see how they steal the 4th quarter from any teams. Both mavs and lively had good effect for both Hoping they train lively in the right direction.

[@Topazmind]

My goat 🐐

[@jimmygreer2140]

Lively will become a really good offensive weapon, it's just gonna take some time. The dude just barely turned 20. But there's practice footage of him hitting 3's off the rack. Let's just take it a step at a time though. I'm thinking next year is when he gets a LOT more comfortable around the rim. Taking those power dribbles, with a little more muscle added in the offseason, you talked about. Developing like a solid 7 foot hook/push shot. Maybe even a few post moves. The year after that maybe he's got a 15 foot jump shot he can rely on. And maybe even starting to test his 3 point range. In any other season he's likely the Rookie of the Year. And if Kidd keeps these rotations going next year, you gotta believe Lively will be the favorite for 6th Man of the Year and possibly in the discussion for DPOY.

[@parashit2181]

He plays like old Robin Lopez, but more mobile and smarter.

[@tombouu]

Reither young deandre jordan ...from clippers

[@IsaiahSmalley]

Love your stuff

[@Ohdeerhere]

he's an athletic 7 footer. hard to imagine him not being great tbh.

[@CallMeFil]

Love the graphs

[@RayDawnavon]

Derrick Lively is a huge steal of the 2023 draft, He didn't miss a FG in the entire Timberwolves series. He can get so much better though, He needs to study how big's like Jokic and Shaq and learn to use his width on offense and punish smaller defenders. He needs to impose his will on offense with his size. He will learn that as he gets older.

[@carlossuarez9112]

He’s been good at free throws lately like since OKC did the hack a lively

[@nigel9298]

Switching Lively and Gafford also means you not only get a combined all star center, but all so 10 fouls to throw at the opposition, allowing them to be more aggressive and play more free