Mavericks veteran finds way to make unbelievable impact without taking a single shot

One of the biggest worries for this Dallas Mavericks team coming into this season was if they could continue to play great team defense like they did last year after the All-Star break.

With losing key defenders like Derrick Jones Jr. and Josh Green, it was clear that every player would have to step up and excel in their defensive role this season.

The Mavericks were ranked 18th in the NBA for the best defensive rating at 114.9 throughout the 2023-24 season. So far this season they're ranked as the 7th best team in the league with a defensive rating of 110.2. They have taken a step forward in this area despite key departures, and everyone is buying into Jason Kidd's scheme.

Maxi Kleber shines despite scoring struggles

This season. Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber has been struggling to shoot the ball well. He's only averaging 2.2 points per game and shooting a very mediocre 33.3 percent from behind the arc.

One could say that he may be struggling because he typically only thrives while sharing the floor with Luka Doncic, but the so-called slump isn't too bad to have to give any excuses as to why he can't catch a rhythm offensively.

Kleber actually had his best game this season this past Monday against the Atlanta Hawks, where he put up seven points and seven rebounds, and also shot 75 percent from the field.

In his most recent game against the New York Knicks, Kleber was on the floor for 24 minutes and didn't have a single field goal attempt, but still found a way to make a huge impact on the game that shouldn't be going unnoticed.

As the primary defender last night in the Mavericks' win over New York, Kleber held opponents to shoot 3-16 from the field and 1-9 on 3-pointers.

Kleber also finished the game with the second-best plus-minus on the Mavericks, with a +15, trailing just Quentin Grimes who had an excellent game against his former team.

Coming into the season, Mavericks fans weren't too sure about the kind of role Kleber would have due to his age, significant amount of lower body injuries he's dealt with, as well as the development of his co-teammate, Olivier-Maxence Prosper. Some fans were heavily speculating about the possibility of the Mavs trading him, as the injuries have really started to catch up to him.

Kleber has been very solid on the defensive end of the floor this season, silencing the critics who want him gone, but hopefully, with Doncic making a return to the court soon, he'll be able to start showcasing his shooting talents that we have seen in the past.

On the other hand though, if Kleber's scoring slump continues, the only way he'll be able to keep himself on the floor and make a positive contribution to winning games will be by playing the defense he has been playing lately.