Tragedy strikes the Mavs! They headed into tonight’s Celtics clash hoping to positively double down on Thursday’s win against the OKC Thunder. But with multiple stars unavailable because of injuries, they were absolutely dominated by the reigning champs for the majority of the night. Adding to their misery, Maxi Kleber was forced to leave the game after an unfortunate accident on the court.

The incident occurred midway through the third quarter. As Jaylen Brown rose up for a three-point attempt, Maxi Kleber switched on him and jumped to contest the shot. And the effort worked, as JB bricked the shot. But Kleber still had his eyes on the ball, and he accidentally stepped on the Celt’s foot while backpedaling, leading to him tweaking his ankle. While the play continued, the Mavs big man immediately fell to the floor favoring his foot.

Maxi Kleber tried his best to continue playing and get back on defense. But he could not keep his right foot on the floor and began limping. The Mavs had no option but to call a timeout. Sure enough, the Center subbed out and immediately headed to the locker room to assess the issue. Adding to the concerns, it was later revealed that he would not return. The reason? A right ankle injury.

With that call, Maxi Kleber’s night ended early, with only one point and one rebound in eleven minutes. Obviously, this is a massive blow to the team because Maxi has been a solid backup Center, averaging 3.1 points and nearly three rebounds.

Moreover, the Dallas franchise just cannot afford more setbacks because they are already dealing with Dereck Lively II and Dwight Powell’s absence. Yes, they’re both injured too. Such is the story in Dallas this season, and Kleber’s injury leaves them with a major size disadvantage as Daniel Gafford is the only healthy Center available. Meanwhile, there is no sign of Luka Doncic’s return!

Mavericks fall against Celtics after Maxi Kleber setback, as Jason Kidd gives worrying Luka Doncic update

When Kleber got injured, the Celtics were already leading by 18 points. And with the big man out, Kyrie Irving and Co. could not muscle a comeback. Sure enough, they lost the game by double digits. Moreover, the Maxi setback puts them in jeopardy for the upcoming games as they might have to play without any reliable bigs. Even Lively is showing no signs of return anytime soon enough, as he was spotted with a walking boot during tonight’s clash.

Adding to the concerns, their best player, Luka is still on the sidelines. Yes, he has been out since Christmas Day with a calf strain. And there is optimism that he will return before the All-Star Weekend. However, when asked about his health, Jason Kidd had no update about Luka’s recovery!

Well, this puts a lot of pressure on Kyrie and the rest of the squad because now it’s their responsibility to keep the team afloat amid these injury woes. It could lead to them falling in the standings. Hopefully, Kleber’s injury is not serious and he can return soon. Prayers Up.

Latest by Shams Charania: “Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber has suffered a broken right foot and is sidelined for an extended period.”