"Huge advantage for Anthony Edwards" - Rachel Nichols places underrated Mavericks player over Luka Doncic to impact Game 5
Heading into Game 5, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are hoping that rookie Dereck Lively is able to suit up for a pivotal Game 5 against Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves. After suffering a neck sprain in a scary fall earlier in the series, Lively missed Game 4, where the Mavs failed to close out the series at home.
Ahead of a big Game 5 on the road, Lively is listed as questionable to play on the NBA.com injury report as of the 9:30 a.m. update. While his status could change closer to gametime, it's unclear whether he will play.
The way former ESPN analyst Rachel Nichols sees things, if rookie Dereck Lively doesn't suit up for the game, it will be a huge advantage for Anthony Edwards. On Thursday's episode of Fox Sports 1's Undisputed alongside Skip Bayless, Nichols spoke about Lively's importance to Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.
As she explained, given what the rookie brings to the floor on defense, should he wind up missing the game, Anthony Edwards will likely find added confidence.
"I agree that I think Ant is going to have a lot of confidence tonight, but I don't think confidence is what he was missing earlier in the series. I mean, he walked into game one being like, I got Kyrie. ... The big difference with Ant, and it's Derek Lively. That is a reason I expect Ant to have a big game."
"He couldn't turn his head" - Rachel Nichols shares update on Lively's injury ahead of pivotal Game 5 for Luka Doncic and Co. vs Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves
As previously mentioned, Dereck Lively is listed as questionable to play in tonight's pivotal Game 5 against Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves. With coach Jason Kidd yet to address media members, it's unclear whether he will be upgraded to probable or downgraded to out.
As Rachel Nichols pointed out on Thursday morning's episode of Undisputed, the Mavericks still have a herculean advantage in the series being up 3-1. Given that no team has come back from 3-0 down in a postseason series, the Mavs could look to rest Lively for Game 5 rather than rush him back.
That would then buy the rookie more time to recover before the NBA Finals, however, it would come at the expense of potential wear and tear on other players.
Most notably, Luka Doncic has been dealing with a slew of lower-body injuries this postseason, and the more time he has to recover the better.
According to Nichols, when Lively arrived for Game 4 earlier in the week he was unable to turn his head. Speaking about his status earlier in the week and the possibility of him playing in Thursday's Game 5 alongside Luka Doncic, she explained:
"Lively was upgraded to questionable. It's certainly possible he'll play, but here's what I know. On Tuesday night, he was walking into the tunnel and someone called his name and he couldn't turn his head. So that's not a great sign.
"And if I'm the Mavericks, I'm not rushing him back because you still have the overwhelming advantage to win the series and you need him for the finals and you don't want him to do any more damage."
Whether the young standout has progressed enough since then to suit up for tonight's game, only time will tell.
Game 5 between Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks and Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves tips off at 5:30 p.m. Pacific (8:30 p.m. Eastern).