If there are two teams with the closest strength in the first round of the West this year, it has to be the Los Angeles Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks. In terms of record, one is fourth and one is fifth. Both had top-notch ball-handling cores and scoring tools, but the Clippers were still taken away 4-2. A large part of the reason is that the absence of the playoffs and the two games played were too stinky.
But after playing the Clippers, the Mavericks couldn't be happy because an important rotation player on the team suddenly lost his season. According to ESPN, multiple sources revealed that Mavericks interior player Kleber suffered a complete dislocation of the acromioclavicular joint in his right shoulder and missed the game indefinitely, announcing that the season is out of use. Mavericks coach Kidd also confirmed the news further, saying: "I don't know how long Kleber will be injured, the other players have to step up." ”
How did Kleber get hurt? We look back at the Clippers' G6 against the Mavericks, who held an eight-point lead in the second quarter. Kleber advanced quickly, was fouled by Coffey on a layup, and fell to the ground. But Kleber is usually called a soft egg, and the critical moment is unambiguous. In the case of dislocation, you have to leave after the penalty ball. In G6, he played only 5 minutes and scored 4 points on 1-of-3 shooting.
If this accident is not counted, Kleber has performed quite well in the playoffs this year, shooting 60% from three-point range, ranking first in the league and being called a marksman.
In the first round of the playoffs, Kleber played an average of 19.5 minutes per game, and could hand over 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.5 blocks. They shot 52.4 percent from the field, 55.6 percent from three-point range, and 50 percent from the free throw line. The most eye-catching was the battle of Tianwang Mountain, where he still withstood the pressure, made five of seven three-pointers, set up a battery on the outside, and sank the Clippers.
There is another statistic that many people don't know. Kleber has a 74.7 percent true shooting percentage in this year's playoffs, which ranks third in the league, which is why Kidd likes to use him. The Kleber buddy is still very modest, saying: "It doesn't matter who performs, what matters is that we win. ”
Kleber is a bit like Bertans last year, both of them are space-based interior lines. The Mavericks were not thin on him, and gave him a 3-year, 33 million contract extension, which will not expire until 2026. But in the regular season this season, he said that there were ups and downs, and he also suffered injuries. Played in 43 games, he can hand over 4.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists. His defense was a big problem, and he was often overshadowed by opponents, so he was repeatedly infamous in the regular season.
But Kidd just loves to use him, and he has been scolded repeatedly. But Kidd didn't change his mind, saying: "Kreber's role is to be a good defense, open up space on the offensive end, and hit open threes. Kidd's ideas were reflected in the playoffs, and Kleber also proved his ability at Tianwang Mountain.
The Mavericks' opponent in the second round is the Thunder, who are No. 1 in the West. In the regular season, the Mavericks were 1-3. The Thunder's first-round opponent was the New Orleans Pelicans, who swept 4-0. And the defensive intensity has increased several notches, and currently concedes 89.5 points per game, first in the league. The Mavericks are also unambiguous, conceding 100.3 points per game, third in the league.
Of course, the Thunder have a youth advantage, but little playoff experience. On the Mavericks' side, Doncic and Irving are old fritters. In this round of the series, the author is optimistic that the Lone Ranger can stand out.