Anyone looking at the numbers to break down Dereck Lively II’s season so far is not doing the second-year center justice.
On paper, Lively has produced virtually the exact same statistics he did in his rookie season, which was an unqualified success.
But don’t think for a second that the 20-year-old has stalled on his career trajectory.
Far from it.
Lively has become a better defender, a better teammate and a better thinker of the game this season.
“D-Live’s work ethic, his coachability, understanding his role, his energy and what he brings to the team – it’s at a high,” coach Jason Kidd said Tuesday.