Mavs Injury Update: Maxi Kleber OUT Against Bucks

Maxi Kleber was ruled out for the Dallas Mavericks' matchup against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

The Dallas Mavericks will take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday in part of a nationally televised matinee matchup. After losing 135-103 to the Washington Wizards on Friday, the Mavs will be seeking to bounce back. 

Against the Bucks, the Mavericks will be without versatile big man Maxi Kleber. According to the official NBA injury report, Dallas originally listed Kleber as questionable to play due to right ankle soreness, but he was ruled out closer to tip-off.

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Kleber's woeful shooting efficiency has come into focus as of late. He's shooting just 21.4 percent on 3s over his last ten games and is now down to just 32.5 percent from deep through 59 performances. 

While Kleber hasn't been converting at an efficient rate on jump shots, his defensive versatility has remained significant. There aren't many 6-foot-11 players who can move their feet like Kleber, which could prove crucial against a premier matchup against a superstar talent like Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

“When you look at Milwaukee, they’re the champs. And they’re the champs for a reason,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “They know how to play, know how to win. That’ll be a great test for us.”

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With Kleber unable to play on Sunday, the Mavericks could turn to Marquese Chriss as the backup center, as they have continued to do as of late. The Mavericks could be at a considerable size disadvantage when trying to contain Antetokounmpo in the paint. 

The Mavericks have already experienced declining results on defense as of late and are coming off their worst single-game performance of the season on that end. Since the All-Star break, Dallas has allowed 115.1 points per 100 possessions (16th) after being among the top teams in the category prior.

As for the Bucks, Antetokounmpo was listed originally as probable with right knee soreness, but was later designated available to play. The only inactive player on their injury report is DeAndre' Bembry as he recovers from knee surgery.