Will Lakers’ Maxi Kleber make season debut vs. Hawks?
Los Angeles Lakers forward Maxi Kleber has been cleared to play against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. Initially listed as questionable due to an abdominal strain, Kleber will make his regular-season debut for the Lakers.
Kleber will join Luka Doncic and the Lakers amid a five-game winning streak, which was recently extended following Wednesday’s thrilling 118-116 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Doncic nearly recorded a triple-double with 35 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists, leading the team to a hard-fought win.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, “Maxi Kleber has been upgraded to available today, per the Lakers. He could make his season debut after missing the first nine games of the season with an abdominal strain.”
Kleber, who was traded to the Lakers alongside Doncic, has so far played only one game for Los Angeles—a Game 5 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves (103-96) in the opening round of last season’s playoffs, which ultimately ended the Lakers’ campaign.
Known as a reliable shooter, Kleber has shot three-pointers at a career rate of 35.4%, peaking at 41% during the 2020-21 season. With his return, the Lakers and Doncic will look to see if Kleber can regain that level of shooting efficiency as they aim for an 8-2 record after 10 games into the 2025-26 regular season.
### Maxi Kleber on Luka Doncic’s Joy Playing for the Lakers
Maxi Kleber, who previously played with Luka Doncic at the Dallas Mavericks, has noticed a positive change in Luka’s demeanor this season compared to last year. Speaking about how difficult it was for Doncic to accept the trade, Kleber shared his thoughts on the early stages of the 2025-26 season, as reported by the Sports Spectrum Network’s Khobi Price.
“I think obviously it was a tough situation, very unexpected the way the trade went down and everything else with it,” Kleber said in a video clip shared by Price on X (formerly Twitter). “But it’s just a lot more fun to see him smile and having fun on the court. Obviously, everybody else on the team supports it and just wants to see him have joy too because it helps us too.”
The Lakers will face the Hawks to kick off a five-game road trip, which continues with a game against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-will-maxi-kleber-make-season-debut-hawks
You may also like
Leave a Reply