Dallas Mavericks get good news, bad news on injury front ahead of Game 4 vs. Wolves

The Dallas Mavericks will look to complete an improbable run to the NBA finals with an improbable sweep of the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight, but they’ll have to do it without breakout rookie center Dereck Lively II.

Lively has been a revelation this postseason, becoming a consistent lob threat, rim deterrent and – improbably – a clutch free-throw shooter.

The Second-Team All-Rookie selection has averaged 8.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 65.3 percent from the floor during the playoffs. He’s 13-for-13 from the field during the Western Conference Finals.

But as Lively exits, another big man could re-enter the Mavs’ rotation.

Dreck Lively II out, Maxi Kleber questionable for Dallas Mavericks

Lively was kneed in the back of the head by Karl-Anthony Towns in Game 3 and left with a neck sprain. The 20-year-old will miss Game 4, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report

There’s a good chance fellow big man Maxi Kleber will return for the Mavs, though, as they try and close out the Timberwolves, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Kleber was a crucial part of Dallas Head Coach Jason Kidd’s rotation this season as a small-ball center capable of spacing the floor around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Kleber hasn’t played since the opening round of the postseason when he injured his right shoulder, but he’s a career 36 percent 3-point shooter who will give the Mavericks the type of big they haven’t had in either of the last two series.

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