CHICAGO - Not that they were publicly searching, but the Mavericks no longer have to look for a defensive anchor.
It’s ... Maxi Kleber?
The second-year big man announced himself as a defensive asset Saturday night in the blowout win over Oklahoma City. Not so much by what he did during the game, which was impressive considering his three blocked shots, including one on a dunk try by Thunder center Steven Adams.
But it was what Kleber said after the game that makes him the leading candidate for a face of the Mavericks’ defense. He was asked about meeting Adams at the rim and successfully foiling what Adams expected to be a ferocious dunk.