According to ESPN’s Tim McMahon, Dallas Mavericks big man Maxi Kleber suffered a “third degree dislocation of the AC joint” in his shoulder during the team’s Game 6 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. McMahon says Kleber will miss an indefinite amount of time and is in danger of missing the rest of Dallas’ postseason run.
The MRI revealed a third degree dislocation of the AC joint in Mavs PF/C Maxi Kleber’s shoulder, a source told ESPN. He will be sidelined indefinitely, perhaps for the remainder of the Mavs’ playoff run. https://t.co/GnTvarSk70
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) May 4, 2024
In the Mavericks’ first-round playoff series win against the Clippers, Kleber averaged 19.3 minutes per game. On the court, he averaged 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Furthermore, he shot 52.4% from the field and 55.6% from beyond the arc.
Dallas Mavericks Key Role Player Could Miss Rest of Postseason
Losing Maxi Kleber is a Big Blow for Dallas
Without Kleber on the court, Dallas loses a reliable bench scorer who can stretch the floor. In Game 5, Kleber scored 15 points and shot 5-for-7 from the field, all three-point field goals. After the game, Luka Doncic talked about Kleber’s performance.
“Amazing, man,” Doncic said of Kleber’s play in Game 5. “I think we created a lot of open shots. And Maxi knocking down three in a row, that helped. The whole team, the energy, the bench was into the game. He was very big today. Big shots.”
Additionally, Kleber is a solid defender and has more than held his own during the first round.
Best Defended FG percentages out of Players In The Playoffs:
1. Maxi Kleber – 23.8%
2. Chet Holmgren – 36.1%
3. PJ Washington – 44.0%
4. Isaiah Hartenstein – 47.8%
5. Dereck Lively II – 48.3%Via @statdefender pic.twitter.com/miiwhT2TU3
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) May 4, 2024
In his place, the team may rely on Josh Green more and insert Dwight Powell and/or Markieff Morris into the rotation.
Especially as the team prepares to take on the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder, losing a guy like Kleber is difficult. During the regular season, the Mavericks went 1-3 against the Thunder. This includes a 49-point blowout loss last month.
The Last Word on Maxi Kleber
While not a major piece to the team, Kleber is still a reliable big man off the bench. His scoring especially makes him useful to the team. Assuming he is out for the rest of the playoffs, his absence will be difficult for Dallas to overcome. However, their season is not over yet. As long as Doncic and Kyrie Irving continue playing the game the way they have been, the Mavericks are in a good spot. Even though their matchup with the Thunder will be challenging, their explosive offense could cause trouble for Oklahoma City.
Game 1 is on Tuesday at 9:30 PM EST in Oklahoma City.
