At some point you could seriously ask yourself if Maxi Kleber didn’t feel lonely out there on the line of three. The German basketball player from the Dallas Mavericks spent large parts of the second first round match in the NBA playoffs against the Utah Jazz like a solo fighter. He held his position, waited for passes and then “I just kept at it,” as he later said. Holding on to it worked so well that the Würzburger scored 25 points after his team’s 110:104.
Kleber, 30, sunk a total of eight threes in the basket – more than ever in his five-year career in US basketball. In addition to his steadfast colleague Jalen Brunson (41 points), the man from Germany also played a huge part in the 1-1 draw against Utah in the series. “It was clear that they would leave one or the other of us free – and today almost everyone went in,” said Kleber, who was still rocking back and forth in the interview after the final siren, as if he were about to let the next throw fly.
In the playoffs, the defensive lines pack a lot more than they did in the protracted regular season. There is tactics, analysis and tinkering, who develops danger with the opponent – and who can save strength on the defensive. It was not entirely wrong that the Jazz hatched the plan to grant Kleber his freedom from outside. Because the winger has been in a so-called since the beginning of the year shooting slump: He tried a lot, but he just couldn’t hit anymore. Only 19 percent of his threesomes have found their destination since then. This time it was almost 80 percent (eight hits in eleven attempts).
Maxi Kleber scored eight goals in eleven attempts against Utah
The Mavericks also went into the knockout round worried because of his slack on the offensive, because they really need glue urgently – at both ends of the field. Under his own basket he’s something of the Secretary of Defense in Dallas, his octopus arms and flair for rebounds and blocks holding things together at the back. When Luka Doncic did magic on the offensive during the season, there were spaces for role players like Kleber. His role: meet when he’s free, because everything falls on Doncic.
Ironically, the exceptional talent from Slovenia didn’t play at all this time. Doncic, 23, missed the Mavs’ first two playoff games injured and his return is eagerly awaited, including by Kleber. “He’s our best player, of course we need him back on the field as soon as possible,” explained the German. The prospects for game three (Friday 3 a.m.) are uncertain, but the Dallas director’s calf injury seems to be slowly recovering.
“I know he really wants to play,” said his representative Brunson about Doncic after his brilliant day: “He does everything to be there for his team. We’re just trying to buy time for him.” So the Mavericks are aware that this streak could be long, they will badly need a healthy Doncic. And until then, they also have Maxi Kleber.