Mavericks rookie had heartwarming message for late mom after Game 5
May 17, 2023; Chicago, Il, USA; Dereck Lively II talks to the mediaduring the 2023 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II dedicated his record-setting Western Conference Finals performance to his late mother Kathy Drysdale.
The Mavericks completed a gentleman’s sweep of the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 124-103 Game 5 victory at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
Lively finished with 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks on a perfect 3/3 shooting in the elimination game. The Mavericks rookie didn’t miss a single shot all series, going 16/16 in his four games played in the series.
Lively set the record for the most shots without a miss in a playoff series in NBA history. He dedicated his stellar play to his mom, who died last month after a decade-long battle with cancer.
“Just keep watching from above,” Lively captioned his story post on Instagram.
Dereck Lively II's mom, Kathy, passed away in April after battling cancer
The 20-year-old rookie shot 100% from the field in the WCF, the most FGM without a miss in a playoff series EVER, and is now going to the NBA Finals pic.twitter.com/fauNsDFm9c
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 31, 2024
Drysdale was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2013, when Lively was just nine years old.
Lively missed Game 4 of the series — the only contest the Mavericks lost — after Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns accidentally kneed Lively in the back of the head in Game 3.
Given that Lively lives off putback dunks and lobs from Luka Doncic, it’s not hard to see how the rookie achieved the feat. But it’s still quite an impressive accomplishment given that the Timberwolves came into the series with the NBA’s best defense and 4-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert manning the paint.
