"Inject this into my veins": Duke fans get fired up over "best day of the sports calendar" as Dereck Lively hypes UNC rivalry game

Dallas Mavericks Dereck Lively II is leading the hype for Duke's rivalry game against UNC on Saturday. The center reflected on the significance, intensity and culture around the matchup with North Carolina, with clips of several Duke players over the years.

The video also takes a dig at Michael Jordan, who once said that the Blue Devils are a good place for college players while the Tar Heels are good for professionals. The program posted the nearly 2-minute video on X on Friday.

Fans responded to the video and shared their reactions:

"Tomorrow. Best day of the sports calendar," a fan wrote.

"Oh boy!!! Can’t wait to be in Cameron tomorrow night for another wild and crazy game! 😥😰," another fan commented.

"Pulling that MJ clip was 🔥," another fan wrote.

More fans reacted:

"Inject this into my veins," a fan wrote.

"TURN ME UP!!!! RUN THEM BUMS!!! ALL GAS NO BRAKES!!!! WE ARE DUKE!! 🔵😈," another fan wrote.

"This is one of the reasons why growing up in Raleigh was the best time of my life in the 80s and 90s because of this rivalry and how everyone was there around this time of year. We hate them and they hate us," another fan commented.

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Maliq Brown and Khaman Maluach might be in Duke's lineup against UNC

While previewing UNC's game, coach Jon Scheyer shared that Khaman Maluach, who fell sick against NC State on Monday, is doing better.

While he didn't directly comment on the 7-foot-2 center's availability, he said that versatile defender Maliq Brown is nearing a comeback.

"He did non-contact (workout) yesterday," Scheyer said. "We didn't do anything with contact and today we'll test it out to see how he feels and then just make a determination based on how he's feeling if Saturday there's a real chance or not."

A final update on Brown can come hours before the game on Saturday. He has been dealing with an ankle injury suffered during the Jan. 10 game against Notre Dame.

Duke leads the all-time rivalry matchup with a 51-49 advantage. Even players like Jayson Tatum, Brandon Ingram, Brandon Ingram and more have faced an upset against the Tar Heels.