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“Awesome for German basketball”
After the equalizer in the first NBA playoff round against the LA Clippers with his Dallas Mavericks, Maxi Kleber talks to SPORT1 about the progression of the series and Daniel Theis.
The Dallas Mavericks got back on track in the first round of the NBA playoffs and celebrated a 96:93 victory at the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Maxi Kleber made an important contribution to the narrow success that equalized the series at 1-1. When the Clippers got within 81:84 in the final phase, Kleber hit a three-pointer and stopped the home team from catching up.
“Today we simply played with the right body language, the right energy,” said the Mavericks power forward at SPORT1. “In game one we went in a little too softly, maybe we were a little intimidated.”
A good choice of throws was also important, said the 32-year-old, “but not just me, today PJ (Washington, editor’s note) also hit some very important throws.”
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The series is still long. “But of course it is very important for us that we can get a win here,” said Kleber, whose Mavericks now have two home games in hand.
Regardless of the equalizer, he expects a “defensive battle” for the coming games, in which the main focus is “who hits the open throws and who implements the moves better”.
Kleber about Theis: “An excellent big defender”
Kleber thinks the fact that there will be a German duel between him and Daniel Theis in the Mavs series against the Clippers is “great for German basketball”.
He doesn’t know why Theis hasn’t played for the Clippers so far. “For me, Daniel is an excellent big defender who can be fun,” he praised his compatriot.
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He himself is still struggling with problems with his big toe, but he still wants to persevere. “It’s not always perfect, but as a competitive athlete you know it. For me it’s just important that I can be on the field again and play,” he said: “And if it hurts a little, then of course I’ll fight.”