NBA
Injuries steal spotlight as Mavs downed by Celtics: these are the players now out for Dallas
A tough night for Dallas in their highly anticipated rematch, with challenges on and off the court shaping the team’s immediate future.

The rematch of last season’s NBA Finals could not have gone worse for the Dallas Mavericks. Hopes were high that Luka Doncic would return to the court for the first time since Christmas Day, but the Slovenian star’s comeback has been delayed once again. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics cruised to another victory over Dallas (122-107), but the loss itself wasn’t the worst part of the night. The Mavericks’ bad luck with injuries struck once more – and in the most critical area.
How long is Mavs' Kleber out injured?
Earlier this week, the team learned that Dereck Lively had suffered a stress injury in his ankle, sidelining him for two to three months. Now, another blow has hit their frontcourt. In the third quarter of the game against the Celtics, Maxi Kleber left for the locker room with what was later revealed to be a fracture in his right foot.
Additional tests will be conducted in the coming days to determine the severity of the injury, but early reports from the franchise suggest it could be a long-term absence.
Mavs turn to Gafford and Powell
This is a significant setback – not necessarily because Kleber is a star, but due to the timing. With Lively already sidelined, Kleber was expected to take on a larger role to give Daniel Gafford, the team’s only healthy center, some relief. Dwight Powell, who has missed the last four games with a hip issue, is expected to return soon.
However, Powell was also mentioned in trade rumors as a potential asset for the Mavericks to acquire a perimeter defender with size, one of the team’s priorities ahead of the trade deadline on February 6. Given the new circumstances, Gafford appears untouchable as the Mavericks scramble to fill the gaps in their lineup.
NBA results round-up
- San Antonio Spurs 98 - Indiana Pacers 136
- Minnesota Timberwolves 133 - Denver Nuggets 104
- Brooklyn Nets 97 - Miami Heat 106
- Charlotte Hornets 123 - New Orleans Pelicans 92
- Orlando Magic 121 - Detroit Pistons 113
- Atlanta Hawks 94 - Toronto Raptors 117
- Cleveland Cavaliers 131 - Houston Rockets 135
- New York Knicks 143 - Sacramento Kings 120
- Chicago Bulls 97 - Philadelphia 76ers 109
- Memphis Grizzlies 125 - Utah Jazz 103
- Golden State Warriors 108 - Los Angeles Lakers 118
- Phoenix Suns 119 - Washington Wizards 109
- Los Angeles Clippers 127 - Milwaukee Bucks 107
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31
Klay Thompson
|
25
P.J. Washington
|
21
Daniel Gafford
|
26
Spencer Dinwiddie
|
11
Kyrie Irving
|
20
Kessler Edwards
|
23
Jazian Gortman
|
5
Quentin Grimes
|
1
Jaden Hardy
|
42
Maxi Kleber
|
88
Markieff Morris
|
8
Olivier-Maxence Prosper
|
0
Brandon Williams
|
Min | Pts | TR | OR | DR | Ast | Los | Rec | Blk | S1 | S2 | S3 | RF | CF | Val | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
31
Klay Thompson
|
26 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 2/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
25
P.J. Washington
|
40 | 17 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8/11 | 3/9 | 1/4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
21
Daniel Gafford
|
32 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7/9 | 6/12 | 0/0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
26
Spencer Dinwiddie
|
26 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 3/4 | 2/3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
11
Kyrie Irving
|
41 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 11/20 | 0/3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
20
Kessler Edwards
|
12 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
23
Jazian Gortman
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
5
Quentin Grimes
|
25 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4/4 | 5/9 | 2/3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
1
Jaden Hardy
|
15 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 3/6 | 1/2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
42
Maxi Kleber
|
11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 0/3 | 0/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
88
Markieff Morris
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
8
Olivier-Maxence Prosper
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
0
Brandon Williams
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
7
Jaylen Brown
|
0
Jayson Tatum
|
8
Kristaps Porzingis
|
4
Jrue Holiday
|
9
Derrick White
|
30
Sam Hauser
|
42
Al Horford
|
40
Luke Kornet
|
11
Payton Pritchard
|
88
Neemias Queta
|
55
Baylor Scheierman
|
44
Jaden Springer
|
26
Xavier Tillman Sr.
|
27
Jordan Walsh
|
20
JD Davison
|
13
Drew Peterson
|
28
Anton Watson
|
Min | Pts | TR | OR | DR | Ast | Los | Rec | Blk | S1 | S2 | S3 | RF | CF | Val | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7
Jaylen Brown
|
30 | 22 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/6 | 10/16 | 0/5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
0
Jayson Tatum
|
35 | 24 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4/4 | 4/10 | 4/12 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
8
Kristaps Porzingis
|
28 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3/3 | 3/7 | 3/5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
4
Jrue Holiday
|
29 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0/0 | 1/2 | 5/10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
9
Derrick White
|
36 | 23 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5/6 | 3/6 | 4/10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
30
Sam Hauser
|
14 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 2/3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
42
Al Horford
|
18 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 2/6 | 0/2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
40
Luke Kornet
|
16 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0/0 | 1/4 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
11
Payton Pritchard
|
26 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 2/4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
88
Neemias Queta
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
55
Baylor Scheierman
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
44
Jaden Springer
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
26
Xavier Tillman Sr.
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
27
Jordan Walsh
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
20
JD Davison
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
13
Drew Peterson
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
28
Anton Watson
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |