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Tim MacMahon, ESPN Staff Writer
DALLAS — Mavericks reserve power forward/center Maxi Kleber will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering a third-degree dislocation of the AC joint of his right shoulder, sources told ESPN.
The injury could sideline Kleber for the remainder of the Mavs’ playoff run, a source said.
Dallas will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals series that begins Tuesday night.
Kleber, who missed most of the first half of the season with a dislocated toe, is a key defender who provides Dallas with lineup versatility. He shot 10-of-18 from 3-point range in the Mavs’ first-round series win over the LA Clippers.
Kleber suffered the injury on a gruesome fall early in the second quarter of Friday’s Game 6 elimination victory over LA. He landed on the shoulder after being fouled by Clippers forward Amir Coffey on a fast-break layup attempt.
Kleber, an important role player during Dallas’ run to the 2022 West finals, shot the free throws after he was injured but exited the game one possession later.