Dereck Lively II exited Tuesday’s Denver Nuggets-Dallas Mavericks game with a right ankle sprain. The Mavs announced before the second quarter that Lively will not return to the game. Lively has played a pivotal role in the Mavs’ recent success,

Like two ships in the night. The Dallas Mavericks get one guy back, and almost just as soon lose another. Mavs center Dereck Lively II suffered a sprained right ankle less than four minutes into Tuesday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets and exited the floor with the training staff.

The Mavericks ruled starting center Dereck Lively II out with an ankle sprain just four minutes into Tuesday’s game against Denver, the team announced ( via Twitter ).