Mavs Injury Update: Maxi Kleber Ruled OUT vs. Spurs; Full Recovery Details

Dallas Mavericks forward/center Maxi Kleber will not play during the team's matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. When will he be back in the lineup?

DALLAS — Among the top storylines surrounding the Dallas Mavericks as they entered the NBA All-Star break was the looming return of Maxi Kleber. There was a sense after recent updates that he would be able to play quickly after the team return to play the final 22 games in the stretch run. 

Kleber has been sidelined since Dec. 12 due to a torn hamstring injury. He did participate in the Mavs' practice on Wednesday, which was the team's first since the break in play. He is already ruled out for Thursday's game against the San Antonio Spurs, along with Davis Bertans. 

“Maxi got some run, did a really good job,” Kidd said after Wednesday’s practice. “But Maxi and Davis will be out tomorrow (against San Antonio), and we’ll just see how Max feels after a day of practice.”

In terms of a potential timetable for Kleber to make his return to the lineup, the Mavs want to see how his body responds after Wednesday's practice. There is a lengthy, six-game homestand and it's not considered "a guarantee" that he plays during this stretch, but there is optimism. 

“We’ll see,” Kidd said. “That’s not a guarantee. Again, it’s about how he feels. So we’ll just see how it goes. It would be great to get him back with us in the homestand, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll be ready to go.”

A clear void in the Mavs' defense cannot be filled without Kleber available to play. He has the ability to switch and handle tough matchups in cross matches in addition to having some rim protection abilities. The combination of both defensive attributes coupled with being a stretch-five on offense 

The value of having Kleber back on the floor for the Mavs' defense will be significant, but the team doesn't want to put too much pressure on him individually. There is an understanding that improvement has to happen collectively, but it helps to have a focused defender around so much offensive firepower. 

“It’s big because of his ability to guard multiple positions, his want-to to play defense sometimes not look at the basket on the offensive end, it gives us the luxury to be able to play Maxi and Luka and Kai out there," Kidd said of Kleber. "Hopefully, when he does come back, he helps us. Now we’re not trying to put pressure on Maxi to do everything defensively, but we do miss Maxi, and hopefully he’s back soon.”

The enthusiasm for Kleber's return extends inside the locker room. The current anchor of the first unit, Dwight Powell, expressed the importance of Kleber's abilities on offense and defense, but again, made clear that it's crucial to make the most of who they have available on the court at any given time. 

“I’m excited to see Maxi come back,” Powell said. “Obviously, Doe-Doe is a guy that we relied on for a long time and was a great player in the system, so we’ll miss him.

“But the situation is what it is and we’re excited to have the guys that we have in the locker room right now. And Maxi is going to be a huge added force on both ends of the floor. But like I said, we have to work with what we have at every moment and that’s what we’ve been doing and will continue to do."

Kleber, who signed a three-year, $33.0 million contract extension before the season, has appeared in 22 games this season and has averaged 6.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 25.6 minutes per game. He's shooting 49.0 percent from the floor and 36.9 percent from 3-point range. 

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