Lively hooked on becoming bigger force in the paint

The NBA is getting bigger. And while centers are moving farther away from the basket, there still are a lot of big men who make their living in and around the paint.

You don’t have to go any deeper than opening night on Thursday for proof.

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs will come to American Airlines Center for the lid-lifter and the 7-4 Frenchman is just one of many centers who are turning the position hybrid.

Joel Embiid in Philadelphia. Nikola Jokic in Denver. Kristaps Porzingis in Boston. Chet Holmgren in Oklahoma City. And there are more on the way.

Like Dereck Lively II.

One of the things that stood out most about the Mavericks’ preseason was Lively’s ability to do more than…