Maxi Kleber has grown into a solid part of the Mavericks rotation, their best defensive big man and a guy coach Jason Kidd could trust on both ends of the floor. Now Kidd will have to get by without him for the foreseeable future.
Kleber is out indefinitely due to a hamstring tear, the team announced.
The Dallas Mavericks announced today that forward Maxi Kleber suffered a tear of his right hamstring at practice on Tuesday, December 13.
— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) December 15, 2022
At this time, there is no timetable for Kleber’s return and updates will be given when appropriate. pic.twitter.com/5OLPf1dEw2
There are not a lot of medical details in the team release, but Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes suggested the low end is more than a month and, depending on where the tear is and if he needs surgery, it could be a couple of months or longer.
A quick look in my NBA Injury Database shows the average time lost for injuries described as a “hamstring tear” is ~62 days. It improves to ~38 days if surgery is not needed. 🧵 (3/4)
— Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) December 15, 2022
This is not good news for the Mavericks’ defense (which is already 20th in the league). Kleber has averaged 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds a game, shooting 36.9% from 3, while playing 25.6 minutes a night. This could mean more Christian Wood — who Kidd clearly does not trust defensively — and might mean JaVale McGee ends up back in the rotation.
The Mavericks are 14-14 and sit ninth in the West despite Luka Doncic playing at an MVP level.
