The Dallas Mavericks suffered another major injury blow on Tuesday after center Dereck Lively II, on a four-year, $22,282,691 rookie-scale contract, exited the game against the Nikola Jokic-led Denver

Like two ships in the night. The Dallas Mavericks get one guy back, and almost just as soon lose another. Mavs center Dereck Lively II suffered a sprained right ankle in Tuesday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets and exited the floor with the training staff.

The Mavericks ruled starting center Dereck Lively II out with an ankle sprain just four minutes into their Tuesday game against Denver, the team announced.

Dereck Lively II exited Tuesday’s Denver Nuggets-Dallas Mavericks game with a right ankle sprain. The Mavs announced before the second quarter that Lively will not return to the game. Lively has played a pivotal role in the Mavs’ recent success,