After defeating the Clippers in six, the Dallas Mavericks were blown out when they met the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round of the playoffs. Losing Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals by a sizeable 22-point margin, the Mavericks hoped to even the series in Game 2 tonight. But will Dallas be able to shift the momentum back in their favor without the help of their floor-stretching big man?
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According to the official injury report of the league, the Dallas Mavericks will not have Maxi Kleber in their lineup for Game 2 of this seven-game series against the Thunder. Kleber has been listed as out due to a dislocated AC joint in his right shoulder.
The Mavericks ran into a well-rested Thunder squad that locked up the All-Star tandem of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic throughout the game. Doncic and Irving combined for just 39 points out of the Mavs scoring total.
Kyrie Irving finished the night leading the team with 20 points. Luka Doncic on the other hand had just 19 points, going 6-19 from the field and 1-8 from beyond the arc. If that wasn’t concerning enough then Doncic’s status for Game 2 of the series as probable is sure to send Dallas fans in a state of shock as well.
Maxi Kleber missed a big chunk of the regular season with injuries and had seemed to regain some fitness for the series against the Clippers. His shooting heroics were vital in the Mavericks clinching the first round in 6 games, and his injury in game 6 significantly hampers the Mavericks’ chances of making it beyond the semis.
The biggest threat Maxi Kleber possesses is his knock-down three-point shooting. Kleber’s presence on the floor demands attention, an important aspect that would’ve been a blessing for the likes of Doncic and Irving.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are two players who excel with the ball in their hands. While Irving can still flourish playing off the ball, having no real threat beyond the arc ended up giving the Thunder an added advantage to double-team on defense.
According to StatMuse, Maxi Kleber shot a whopping 55.6% from beyond the arc during the playoffs so far. And not having his long-range shooting to rely on is a point of concern. It’ll be interesting to see how Jason Kidd and the Mavs roster deal with the absence of Kleber going forward.
Tune into ESPN at 9:30 PM ET tonight to see the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Dallas Mavericks for Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
