Dereck Lively II Hopes to Play in Mavericks-Warriors

Dereck Lively II is hoping to play in the Mavericks-Warriors game on Friday.

The 7-foot-1 center missed the Mavericks' last game with a sprained ankle, but he practiced on Thursday and said he feels good to go.

"I'm feeling good," Lively said. "I'm just trying to get my wind back. I missed a couple of days of practice, so I'm just trying to get back into the flow of things."

Lively is averaging 8.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game this season. He's a key part of the Mavericks' defense, and his presence would be a boost against the Warriors.

The Warriors are one of the best teams in the NBA, and they have a lot of firepower on offense. Klay Thompson is averaging 27.3 points per game, Stephen Curry is averaging 26.8 points per game, and Andrew Wiggins is averaging 19.3 points per game.

The Mavericks will need to play well on both ends of the court to beat the Warriors. They'll need to score the ball efficiently, and they'll need to play good defense.

"We're going to have to play our best game," Lively said. "They're a great team, but we're confident that we can beat them."

The Mavericks and Warriors will tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday.