Maxi Kleber is far down the list of impactful players on the Lakers roster. He is often only playing during garbage time and doing little during those minutes to make a compelling case for extended play.
However, against the Sixers, Kleber had his best performance as a Laker.
With Jaxson Hayes suspended for one game, Kleber had to step up in his place and he delivered.
His 4 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists don’t tell the full story of how well he played in this game. From grabbing offensive rebounds to defending
multiple positions, Kleber was doing everything that impacts winning. It’s why, during his 26 minutes of play, he had a plus-minus of +23, the best on the team.
After the win, Marcus Smart discussed why Kleber is a guy that everyone loves.
“The ultimate professional,” Smart said. “I mean, there’s a reason why Maxi is still in this league, still going, and it’s the reason why he’s on this team with us and it’s the reason why we celebrate him the way we do because he comes in every day, no matter what, and he gives that.
“Whether it’s in practice, whether it’s in the game, whether he plays two minutes, whether he plays 20. We enjoy watching him actually do that because we know how hard he works and we know what he’s going to give every night. That’s nothing of a surprise for us. We’re just excited to see him out there getting a chance to do it.”
As a defensive role player, Smart is well aware of what it takes to embrace a position on a team. For Kleber, his role is smaller than Smart’s, but just as important to the team’s fabric. He’s a leader and an example for the younger players to look up to on how to carry themselves in the NBA.
“Maxi, it doesn’t matter if he’s played and had a big impact and then is a DNP the next game…his spirit, his approach, his being a teammate and rooting for other people, it never changes,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “For all our guys, he’s an easy guy to root for.”
Against Philly, Kleber ended the game with one of his best moments of the night.
With the Lakers leading by eight points with under a minute to go, LA needed one more score to put the game to bed.
LeBron James put the exclamation point on the win with an emphatic dunk, but Kleber is the one who set it up. As James drove inside, Kleber set a Gortat screen on Joel Embiid, stopping the Sixers big man from contesting LeBron’s drive.
While James drove to the rim, Kleber put his hands up to indicate to the refs that he was not fouling Embiid. When LeBron completed the play, Kleber kept his arms up and pumped them in the air in celebration.
Kleber won’t often play 20-plus minutes, but he stays ready to contribute. And thanks to Kleber’s level of preparedness, the Lakers turned a double-digit deficit into a feel-good win.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
