Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber is listed as questionable on the injury report for Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, reporter Shams Charania reported. Athletic. Kleber has been out since May 3 with an AC sprain in the shoulder of his shooting arm that he suffered in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Kleber’s return would be a big boost to the center rotation after Derek Lively II was injured in Game 3 against Minnesota.
Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber is on track to return to the postseason but is questionable for Game 4 against the Timberwolves after missing since May 3 with a dislocated AC shoulder.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 27, 2024
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Kleber suffered a sprain in a scary fall against the Clippers when Amir Coffey tried to take a charge. Kleber stayed in the game to shoot free throws but was ejected and hasn’t been on the court since. He has the floor-spacing ability that neither Lively nor Daniel Gafford can provide, and the Mavs need options in this series against Minnesota’s stable big man rotation. He’s also more than capable of switching on smaller players.
With Lively officially listed as questionable for Game 4 with a neck sprain, Dallas is hoping to close out the sweep and give Lively, Luka Doncic (who has been questionable for the entire playoffs with a knee sprain and ankle soreness) and Kleber a week or more of rest and recovery before the NBA Finals begin on June 6.
Kleber averaged just 4.4 points and 3.3 rebounds this season, but he shot 34.3 percent from three-point range and had a positive defensive box plus/minus. Those numbers spiked in six games against the Clippers, mainly thanks to a 15-point performance in Game 5 that went 5-for-7 on three-pointers.
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