Film Study: Maxi Kleber Remains Major Dallas Mavs X-Factor

Film Study: Maxi Kleber Remains Major Dallas Mavs X-Factor

One of the various ways Maxi CBA provides defensive versatility as a small ball five is his ability to maintain traditional pick and roll coverages got the size to be able to be a big Defender providing some sort of interior presence and able to get a hand

Up with length when guards try to take short range or mid-range pull-ups and he did that against the wizards they didn’t have a threat that like to frequently get to the rim with Dynamic driving ability and they also didn’t have much for pullup three-point shooting threat so the Mavericks were able to funnel

Guards like tus Jones into mid-range spots that they’re willing to give up shots while still getting a contest using kba’s length when tyus Jones snaked into the Gap maintaining this type of defensive presence with the big in a traditional pick and roll setting against limited guards can create very favorable defensive situations where

Even a low turnover guard who just has nowhere ideal to go with the ball driving right coming off of the screen into the Gap tries to use a no look pass to create an advantage and this actually becomes a disadvantage because he throws it inaccurately with Luca getting back

Out on the shooter as the low Defender and the corner spacer is unable to come up with the pass this is another play where the Mavericks are allowing a shot that they want from the opponent’s shot profile Marvin baggley is screening Josh Green for tyus Jones to dribble off get

To the Elbow he gets into a step back and CBA gets a hand up to contest this is a shot that they want to give up and it’s a Miss against the Oklahoma City Thunder Shay guildas Alexander had a tough time operating in high pick and roll actions the way he normally would

Operate here they’re trying to bring Maxi into the action who was pretty much disrespecting Josh giddy as a shooter throughout this game by pre- rotating leaving him open so the Thunder’s goal was to force him into the action by having giddy screen and to mitigate that threat of basically having a non-shooter

Being left open and allowing the defense to get away with pre- rotating so this is up to Maxi to be the big Defender against Shay on the drive he maintains good positioning as the big Defender doesn’t bite on the In-N-Out dribble is able to contest on the short range

Pullup and gets a hand on the ball coming up the block Dante Divan chinzo has been having a great recent stretch of play for the Knicks but Maxi had some great defensive plays in ball screen coverage against him as well he came straight off going right Maxi was able

To wall him up get vertical and force misses at the rim without fouling coming off the screen going right from Taj Gibson screen snakes into the Gap and kba tracks him on the drive gets into a position to have that right hand all the way up throughout the drive he maintains

Enough separation to avoid fouling but also still being able to impact the Finish on the contest he heavily pressures and forces a Miss on the Finish attempt this time it’s Josh Hart coming off the screen going to his right once again not really much of a two-point shot Creator he gets deep on

The drive tries to make play after the rle man doesn’t really have anything and kba maintains verticality the whole time and blows up the play at The Rim this time it’s not a pick and roll it’s a pin down but Max he’s the big defender in

This action and he’s able to protect the rim with Cory kispert trying to attack downhill there’s nothing on the first effort there’s nothing for kispert deep on the drive he gets into the paint two feet doesn’t even look at The Rim after an initial wall up and not fouling they

Pass the ball out and this time it’s up to Derrick Jones to contain dribble penetration off the ghost screen and he does exactly that this just shows the overall capability of the Mavericks defense when they have those capable Wing Defenders that are able to contain the initial drive and the redrive

Another element of the impact that Maxi provides the Mavs defense as that small ball five is the threat of being able to switch everything he is a effective in space Defender whenever he is healthy to be able to make those physical movements and this is a great example of this play

The Wizards are getting into a stack pick and roll action and the value of switching really blew this whole action up watch as this develops Kyrie Irvings guarding the ball tus Jones trying to get into a ball screen with Marvin baggley and kba switches off of baggley onto Jones this completely neutralizes

Any value of that initial ball screen and Cory kissper as the back screener is going to try to throw a wrench into the Mavericks communication but Jaden Hardy does a great job of calling out the switching he takes on Marvin Bagley Kyrie Irving takes on Cory kispert and

Now the Wizards Come Away with half the shot clock being used with no Advantage from all of their screening actions and tus Jones just tries to get into a pullup and kba lunges at him and contests and this is a miss this play starts out with Kyle kuzma being

Deployed in a wide action with Marvin baggley screening for him to get the ball and he gets into a ball screen with kba as the big Defender they just switch this and this is giving up a shot that the Mavericks are happy to give up kuzma isn’t a high efficiency three-point

Shooter kba is playing the drive but still gets enough of a hand up to contest a shot and it’s a Miss with PJ Washington added to the Mavs roster using the trade deadline moves the Mavs made they’re able to have more versatility alongside kba when he’s

Playing the five to switch a lot of these actions kba is responsible for Cory kissper after they switch this initial brush screen and PJ Washington makes that switch onto tyus Jones with now Josh Green being responsible for Kyle kman as he’s as he’s making himself available in the paint for a potential

Pass but the Wizards essentially tried to take advantage of the attention kuzma was drawing by trying to get a clean look for kissper on the wing and kba did a great job of recognizing this got out on the shooter and this was a miss when there is an actual shooting threat

Spacing from the perimeter kba does a good job of getting out on them and on this play PJ Washington tries to contain dribble penetration with tus Jones attack in the middle of the floor from the wing there’s a no look pass where Kyrie Irving Comm gets to the first pass

And this is up to kba to x out get out on the shooter and he gets a hand up and disrupts Cory kispert enough to force the Miss now back to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a matchup this just shows the value of having multiple options with

Size to be able to switch Josh giddy a big guard receives a side ball screen out of the corner from Chad hongren and the Mavericks are able to comfortably switch this with Derrick Jones now being responsible for Giddy and they’re completely content with kba being responsible for homr now this is up to

Josh giddy to make a a change of Direction counter going behind the back make a play at the rim and he gets nothing but glass on the finger roll and this is a great stop by the Mavs now this ended in a mage shot for the

Thunder but this was a look that a defense would gladly give up throughout the course of a game LCA donic is responsible for Jaylen Williams initially Chad homr brings CLE into the action by screening and he slips the screen the MAV switch it Williams looks

To play off of two attacking to his left trying to get to a short-range spot and he gets into a fade kba gets a hand up this is a tightly contested shot this is just a great offensive play but it look that the Mavericks will gladly give up

Time and time again Tyrese Maxi is another matchup that the Mavericks had recently coralled in the half court quite effectively and Maxi kba’s versatility was a good example of why that was the case he’s playing up to touch in this double drag screening action switches off the final screener

Onto Maxi a late double comes as Tyrese Maxi tries to blow by Maxi kber by turning the corner cber contains him and allows enough of an opportunity for Josh Green to recover on The Late double to make that contest and this is the type of effort that’s needed against Allstar

Caliber players to force his shots and exactly what happened here the Mavericks in another late double Maxi kleba switches Josh Green gets through this ball screen from Paul Reed who just kind of slipped it didn’t make contact on the screen and with the length that the

Mavericks have on the ball in this Play Tyrese Maxi is unable to get the ball to the roller they come up with the Steel by forcing the deflection and Josh Green’s going the other way here’s another double drag screening action where Maxis versatil helped neutralize the play they end up Veer switching this

One where Tyrese Maxi turns the corner going to his right when he’s attacking downhill keeps that left arm up to be able to pressure the Finish attempt at the rim and this is a really tough angle with Maxi’s Drive being rounded off as he’s attacking and he tries to get the

Tough right-handed finger roll to go hits the bottom of the backboard and this was a tough shot and a miss having that versatility to play up instead of being a deep drop big was another helpful Factor against cam Thomas he’s not playing completely up but Maxi is in

A position to play the drive but also get a contest on a pullup Thomas Rises up from three but he gets the contest from CER and the shots offline this time kba switches onto cam Thomas and it’s an ISO possession Thomas tries to break him down with size up dribbles going between

The legs cross between the legs cross attack going to his right get to a short range spot but he’s stifled on the initial Drive tries to the head back to get a foul call the refs don’t give him the call and he uses that to get into a step back along the Baseline

This is a tough shot along the Baseline he’s turning as he’s getting into the shot kba is able to get a hand up contest it and it’s a miss this was another solid possession from kba guarding Jaylen Williams against the Thunder Williams ended up receiving the

Ball in the corner had a late shot clock situation tried to attack CBA Retreat dribbles back out to the three-point line and kba did a great job of playing the shot he lunges at Williams as he’s rising up from three disrupts them enough and this is a Miss shot with the

Mavericks having multiple Dynamic offensive creators it’s very helpful to have stretch bigs that are able to make the defense pay for committing two to the ball after screening and popping or just staying behind the three-point line as that offensive player is attacking downhill and against the Oklahoma City

Thunder this is a great example of that happening Chad Homen is committed to Kyrie Irving as sh gildas Alexander fights over the screen stays attached kba is left wide open on the perimeter gets a clean look right in the shot pocket off the pass and knocks it down

Another instance of this Luca donic against the Wizards receives that screen from kba early in the possession Marvin baggley and balal kabala are focused on him commit to the ball Luca gives it up Maxi fakes a pass the defender commits to him and he still gets the shot up

Just shows the confidence he has in his shot right now on this play Lucas surveying the nail help Spencer Den witty against the Brooklyn Nets is focused on providing that help to Nick Claxton who’s trying to hold his own against one of the top ISO players on an

Island in space here Luca brings him to the left tries to force on the drive den witty’s commitment before passing this ball out to kba spacing out along the sideline and he knocks the shot down against the contest this time kba isn’t the screener but he’s spacing on the

Weak side with Derrick Jones getting into the two-man game on the get action with Luca Luca evades both Defenders gets to a step back and short range in the defense has fully focused on showing help in the paint at this point so when Luca gets to his spot he’s going to pass

Out of the shot get to the open teammate and kba makes the defense pay for that lack of focus on staying attached to him this is another possession against Philly where they’re fully focused on Luca they were very aggressive loading up on him and Maxi’s left completely

Wide open makes them pay again now Beyond just knocking down the three Maxi’s put the ball on the floor to drive again redrive Closeouts redrive Closeouts here miles McBride gets out on the shot Maxi uses the fake attacks downhill has press to Chua looking to protect the rim and that doesn’t bother

Him he gets right into the dunk here the Mavericks had numbers they had a five on four on this possession with Denny ABIA on the ground after the Miss layup on the other end expecting a foul call and there’s two Defenders on Luca so there’s a major numbers Advantage Luca gets the

Ball to the open teammate kba is aggressive attacking off the catch and just gets right to the rim and flushes at home and with Paul Reed playing up tightly guarding him out be out Beyond out beyond the perimeter this is a perfect chance for Maxi to catch him off

Guard Rip through and drive get by him turn the corner that’s exactly what happens he gets by Reed a step on him and just launches off of this was another impressive attack off the catch by Maxi against Philadelphia he screens for Kyrie Irving who then draws both Defenders attention Patrick Beverly is

Looking to is Patrick bever is lurking as the nail help in a position to help Tyrese Maxi in the event that Kyrie tries to attack Kyrie likes the Kyrie likes the advantage that Maxi has on this play by throwing the ball to him on the drift on the go and catch Maxi

Attacks the smaller Defender there’s not much Patrick Beverly is going to be able to do against a 6’10 offensive player with momentum going to the rim and even with help with Paul Reed at the top of the restricted area getting vertical deep on the drive kba finishes with his

Left hand and banks in off the glass Maxi also presents a lob threat when he’s healthy as well on the stack pick and roll action Luca gets off the pick and and Robin Lopez doesn’t have the mobility to be able to account for both the ball and the rim roller he’s

Committed to Luca after he utilizes that screen the Mavericks are able to bring Damen Lillard into the action by having his man be the back screener on the big Defender and this is a challenging set of circumstances for Robin Lopez to survive guarding both the ball and

Accounting for the big so the Bucks are going to have to trust Damen Lillard to disengage off of the back screener to be able to prevent The Exchange from Luca to Maxi on the lob and the timing that Luca had coming off of the screen going to his left was tremendous he gets

Quickly into the lob before Daman L even disengages CBA has full momentum and it’s a 6′ 10 player launching against a small guard trying to blow up a pass at the rim and there’s nothing the Bucks can do at this point and Max finishes it at The Rim we’re going small in this

Possession and Maxi kba was the biggest player on the court and this shows the value of having that ability to still have size while having shooting at all five positions kba screens with a brush screen while Kyrie Irving brings the ball up the floor but then gets into a

Screen by flipping it allowing Kyrie to dribble off going to his right Shay gildas Alexander switches onto him and with the switch happening and case and Wallace trying to fight over the screen what happens is clevand is able to get a seal after diving to the rim and Kyrie

Irving’s patient with case Wallace being a much smaller Defender all he has to do is lob the ball up to CBA he high points the catch doesn’t bring the ball back down and goes right into the Finish attempt on the catch this is just an easy play taking advantage of size

Against the team trying to go small against the Nets in the four on three Josh Green gets the ball on the short roll gets it to kba who then gets it to Kyrie Irving in the corner they get into a side ball screen and the Nets try to

Just double Kyrie kba gets the ball in the roll with with Kyrie throwing a bounce pass and all CBA has to do is get to a spot and either pass to the open teammate Derrick Jones Junior in the weak side corner or make a play in the

Paint kba uses a hook gets the shot to fall instead of forcing the ball to a underwhelming shooter in the weak side corner this time kba is the screener with LCA donic being blitzed by the Nets he gets into the short roll receives the ball from Luca and instead again of

Forcing the ball out he fakes a pass on the catch to the weak side corner and has a wide open finish attempt with the defender biting on the fake it’s a similar story against Philadelphia on this possession except Kyrie Irving is the ball handler kba pitches it to him

On the handoff makes the short roll Kyrie Lofts it up to him and this time he just makes a play on the catch getting into a short-range jumper and gets it to go after Luca gets blitzed on this play with Clea spacing out from the weak side the ball pops CBA gets the

Ball in the corner and he has Grant Williams trying to post up and kind of clogging the lane here and instead of uh forcing a play all CBA does is stay patient wait for Williams to clear out a little bit and then plays off of two getting into a finish since Damen

Lillard was since it’s just Jay Crowder and Damen Lillard as the two Defenders involved in this play there’s nothing the defense can do with Lillard being a small guard getting sealed off by Williams clearing him out as kba gets into this finish on the step thr as this

Play develop Luca gets late doubled the ball finds kba he fakes a pass to the corner attacks the middle of the floor and gets into a short-range paint game jumper and hits it before the shot clock sounds another element of having a 6’1 player on the floor is just the ability

To rebound against smaller personnel and just in general but particularly against small ball CBA becomes more effective as a rebounder he’s in the paint as Lucas trying to get a tough floater to go and comes up with this quick put back tip in if you watch this video all the way

Through I appreciate you for doing so and if you could like this video subscribe to my channel share the video if you want I’d greatly appreciate it there’ll be more content like this throughout the rest of the Maverick season and as long as I cover the team

Dallas Mavericks big man Maxi Kleber has dealt with a right small toe dislocation for much of the 2023-24 NBA season, but has recently re-emerged as a major X-factor for the team. Watch my full breakdown of all the intangibles he provides as he remains an important element of the Mavs.

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