Lakers’ Maxi Kleber Makes Season Debut Against Hawks
The Lakers' reserve big man Maxi Kleber returned to the court in Saturday’s 122-102 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.
Injury and Recovery
Kleber, who played only one game last season after joining the team in the Luka Doncic trade, missed the first nine games of this season due to an abdominal muscle strain. He was upgraded from questionable to available just 2½ hours before tipoff.
“I’m gonna be ready. Just be prepared and be back out with the guys, get back in rhythm and routine,” Kleber said after Saturday morning’s shootaround.
Injury Details
The injury happened during a preseason practice when Kleber drove to the basket. He described it as “very unfortunate” and “unlucky” but emphasized his focus on maintaining conditioning and returning quickly.
Game Performance
Kleber entered the game in the third quarter, at the 5:59 mark, after Coach JJ Redick rested his main rotation players with the Lakers trailing 90-65. In 14 minutes, Kleber contributed one point from two free throws, blocked two shots, grabbed two rebounds, and assisted once.
Additional Injury Note
Earlier, Kleber missed most of the preseason due to a minor quadriceps injury sustained in the Lakers’ first training camp practice in September.
Author’s summary: Maxi Kleber overcame an abdominal injury to make his season debut with solid contributions off the bench, marking a hopeful return for the Lakers' frontcourt depth.