The Dallas Mavericks are trying to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011, and they could receive a major boost if they make it that far.
“A return during the Western Conference finals remains on the unlikely side, but all indications suggest Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber is trending toward a return for the NBA Finals,” wrote NBA insider Marc Stein.
Kleber last played in the sixth and final game of Dallas’ first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers. The German big man suffered a right shoulder injury, and there was initially talk of him missing the rest of the postseason.
While the Mavericks have undoubtedly missed him, the team is still doing well without him. After closing out the Clippers in six games, Dallas defeated the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in six games as well.
Dallas has gone on to win the first three games of the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves and will try to close out the series at home on Tuesday night.
Behind superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks are serious title contenders. Their first and only title in franchise history came in 2011 against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.
Kleber is surely hoping that his team can close out the Timberwolves in order to give him a chance to play in the Finals for the first time in his career.
He was able to help the Mavericks reach the 2022 Western Conference Finals, but he wasn’t at his best in that series against the Golden State Warriors.
The 32-year-old has spent his entire NBA career with the Mavericks, averaging 6.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc across seven seasons. In six playoff games this year, Kleber is recording 5.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per game.
If the Mavericks were to advance to the Finals, they would likely face off against the Boston Celtics, who are up 3-0 on the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
A Mavericks-Celtics matchup in the Finals would have plenty of interesting storylines, and though Kleber’s potential return likely wouldn’t be the most important, it would definitely be one to keep an eye on.
