In a recent matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Dallas Mavericks fell short despite missing Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Josh Green. But Luka Dončić delivered yet another brilliant performance, recording a rare triple-double. As Melbet Login sponsors noted, it was a historic stat line — one that even Dončić, a statistical marvel, has only achieved twice in his career. He joins Oscar Robertson as the only two players in NBA history to produce multiple games with such a triple-double.
Though the Mavericks didn’t win, they mounted an incredible 30-0 run in the fourth quarter, erasing a 24-point deficit and briefly taking a six-point lead. According to Melbet Login reporters, it was a stunning surge that made the loss all the more painful, as Dallas went cold again in the final minutes and allowed OKC to reclaim the game. Still, Dončić’s performance was nothing short of heroic — all the more meaningful as it came just days after the birth of his daughter. He played 46 minutes and collapsed into his seat from exhaustion after sparking the fourth-quarter rally.
Yet Dončić wasn’t the only standout. Rookie center Dereck Lively II had a breakout game, going toe-to-toe with top Rookie of the Year candidate Chet Holmgren — and even delivering a poster dunk right over him. While OKC got the win, in the battle of rookies, Lively may have come out on top. His impact was undeniable: the Mavericks trailed for most of the game, but Lively posted a team-high +12 in plus-minus. In the less than 9 minutes he wasn’t on the court, Dallas was outscored by 18 points — a testament to his importance.
Dončić and Irving have undoubtedly elevated the Mavs this season, but Lively’s emergence is the unexpected gift that’s quietly transforming this team. Through his first 17 games, Lively has started all but one — his debut, which coincidentally came against another generational talent: Victor Wembanyama. Lively outperformed the No. 1 overall pick in that game, and since then, head coach Jason Kidd has never taken him out of the starting lineup.
Lively is a textbook blue-collar big man. He lacks polished offensive moves but makes up for it with elite athleticism and high-efficiency finishing around the rim. With a staggering 72.2% field goal percentage, he’s become an ideal target for Dončić’s lobs and pick-and-roll passes. At just 19 years old, his defensive awareness is still developing, especially on the perimeter, but his physical tools — quick feet, strong motor, and active hands — allow him to protect the paint impressively.
Per 36 minutes, Lively averages 12.2 contests on opponents’ two-point shots, ranking him fourth in the entire league. While hyped rookies like Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson arrived with massive expectations, Lively, picked lower and labeled a role player, is quietly proving that he belongs. Melbet Login emphasizes that few rookies in his mold get the opportunity to partner with a passing maestro like Dončić from day one — and that’s accelerated his growth.
Last season, Dallas unraveled defensively after the midseason trade for Irving, falling from a top-four seed to the play-in bubble. Skeptics had their doubts coming into this year. But as the saying goes, what sticks with you isn’t the trophies, but the times you nearly broke down and kept going anyway. Lively’s arrival has stabilized the Mavericks’ interior defense — and he’s just 19.
If Dončić remains healthy and in form, Melbet Login predicts Lively will only get better. With time, he might just follow in Tyson Chandler’s footsteps and become the next championship-caliber big man in Dallas.