Dereck Lively II can't solve both of the Mavericks' defensive problems alone

Dallas Mavericks fans are counting down the days until Dereck Lively II returns to the hardwood.

The Mavericks are getting destroyed in the paint

The young big man hasn't played since November 21 of last year after undergoing foot surgery in December 2025, but the Mavericks have missed his presence inside lately. Dallas ranks 22nd in the NBA in defensive rebounds per game with 31.0 and 25th in opponents' points in the paint per game with 50.9.

Both of these problems were front and center in their loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, as the Mavericks allowed 74 points in the paint and corralled just 38 rebounds. Minnesota destroyed Dallas in the paint, and Lively was missed.

Two days later, the Mavericks lost another ugly defensive game to the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road. Cleveland's entire starting five was out for this game, but Dallas still couldn't take down the Cavs.

Tyrese Proctor erupted for 24 points, Mario Hezonja had 22, and Meleek Thomas had 20. The Cavaliers outrebounded the Mavs 54-39, had 54 points in the paint, and constantly beat Dallas' perimeter players off the dribble. Their pick-and-roll defense continued to be suspect, and they came out flat in a game that they desperately needed to win.

Dereck Lively II can help address the Mavs' problems in the paint

Losing to Cleveland's bench players after getting beat by nearly 40 points by the Timberwolves is embarrassing, and they need their defense to step up soon. While Lively doesn't have a timeline for his return yet, he will at least help them get back on track.

He is the only true center on the roster who is a 7-footer, and the Mavericks' lack of positional size at center has led to some of their problems when it comes to protecting the paint. Morez Johnson Jr. and Daniel Gafford, Dallas' two main big men, are both undersized compared to Lively, and the length and mobility he provides will help their paint defense considerably.

Dallas still needs better perimeter defense

While many Mavs fans are counting on Lively to address the team's problem defending inside upon his return, he can't fix their other defensive problem: defending at the point of attack. He is one of the best switch defenders in the frontcourt, but he can't cover up Dallas' flaws when it comes to individual defense.

Caleb Martin is arguably their best perimeter defender, and that's among the reasons that Dusty May is starting him, but he can't fix this problem by himself. The Mavericks' backcourt and wings lack true defensive stoppers outside of Martin, and Minnesota and Cleveland drove to the rim with ease. Lively can help with help-side rim protection when someone gets beat, but they need their current players to step up if they want to become an elite defense.

Dallas is the 14th-ranked defense in the NBA, allowing 112.8 points per 100 possessions. This is a solid start, but they clearly have work to do after getting dismantled on Thursday and Saturday.

Lively can only do so much when he comes back, and fixing the defense is going to come down to more than just his presence. May needs better effort from his players, stronger pick-and-roll defense and switching, and more intentionality on the glass.

Effort can't be a problem for a young team that is looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2024, and Dallas needs to look at themselves in the mirror and decide what type of team they want to be before it's too late.

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