2023 DRAFT: Mavs take Lively, OMP, sign Mike Miles to 2-way, sign Jordan Walker

[Chicagojk]

I am not saying Lively will be gangbusters right away, but this portion from the Athletic draft guide shows what his best traits are.
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The length comes into play best on the defensive end. By the end of the season, Lively was the best rim protector in college basketball and probably the most impactful overall defensive force. Over his last 18 games, he averaged three blocks in just 25 minutes per game. He completely shut down the paint to obscene levels for the Blue Devils. Per Pivot Analysis, when Lively was on the court in ACC play, the team was 8.2 points per 100 possessions better on defense than when he was off the court. The Blue Devils won Lively minutes by nearly 12 points per 100 possessions versus by only 3.3 points when he was off the court. From Jan. 28 onward, Duke won its minutes with Lively by nearly 18 points per 100 possessions, and its possessions with Lively, Kyle Filipowski and Tyrese Proctor by 22 points per 100 possessions. They were dominant in those situations. Opponents only shot 45.6 percent at the rim with Lively on the court in those situations versus 54.2 percent when he was off the court.