Much to the delight of Los Angeles Lakers fans everywhere, the Dallas Mavericks were able to fend off elimination and avoid a sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics. One of the reasons they were able to do so was an excellent night from their role players, in particular rookie center Dereck Lively II.
Lively finished with a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds, his second straight double-double of the series as he had 11 points and 13 rebounds in Game 3. And in doing so, he joined the legendary Magic Johnson in NBA Finals history.
Lively joined Magic as the only players in NBA history age 20 or younger to record multiple double-doubles in the NBA Finals, via NBA on X:
Dereck Lively II was huge off the bench for Dallas in the Game 4 win!
💪 11 PTS
💪 12 REB
💪 80.0 FG%
💪 1st-career 3-pointerHe joins Magic Johnson (5x) as the only players 20 or younger to record multiple double-doubles in NBA Finals history 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/s1zVD6MrhK
— NBA (@NBA) June 15, 2024
Johnson, of course, accomplished the feat during his rookie season in the 1980 NBA Finals when the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers. Magic recorded a double-double in five of the six games of the series, capped off by the famous 42 point, 15 rebound performance in the deciding Game 6 with MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out due to injury.
That performance not only lifted the Lakers to the NBA Championship, but also immediately catapulted Magic into superstardom. To be part of any list that includes someone like Johnson is a true accomplishment. While no one is putting Lively on the level of Johnson, he is still playing a big role for the Mavericks as they look to make their own history.
It will take more amazing performances like this from Lively and the rest of the Mavericks as they try to become the first NBA team to ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit. And you can believe Magic and the rest of the Lakers family are rooting for him and the Mavericks to pull off a miracle.
Former Lakers forward Lamar Odom ‘sick’ at Paul Pierce happy over Celtics potential title
Anyone who has ever been part of the Lakers family is rooting for the Mavericks to pull off the comeback as the hatred for the Celtics never dies. And Lamar Odom, who won two titles with the Lakers, is disgusted not just at a potential Celtics title, but that rival Paul Pierce would get to enjoy it.
Odom says that it makes him ‘sick’ that Pierce will be able to gloat and be happy about the Celtics winning another championship. Odom added that he tips his cap to the Celtics, but as a Laker at heart, he still hates Boston.
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