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ESPN Staff Writer- Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009
- Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks
- Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM
DALLAS -- In another major blow to the Dallas Mavericks' big man depth, power forward/center Maxi Kleber suffered a right foot fracture in Saturday's 122-107 loss to the Boston Celtics, the team announced.
The Mavericks said Kleber would be reevaluated this week, but sources told ESPN that he would sit out an extended period of time.
Kleber suffered the injury in the third quarter and was ruled out for the rest of the game after limping to the locker room.
X-rays revealed Kleber's fracture days after Dallas starting center Dereck Lively II was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right ankle. Lively will be reevaluated in a month, and sources expect him to be sidelined for two to three months.
Reserve center Dwight Powell has sat out the past four games because of a strained hip, meaning that Daniel Gafford is the only healthy big man on the roster.
"It's a hole. It's tough," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said postgame regarding the rash of injuries to the team's big men. "I've never seen anything like it, and it's not going to get any better."
A source said there was optimism that Powell, a former starter who has averaged 7.6 minutes per game this season, would be able to return at some point during the Mavericks' five-game road trip that begins Wednesday.
The Mavericks will evaluate their options to address their lack of center depth, including exploring the trade market, candidates for two-way deals and 10-day contract candidates, according to a source, who added that the front office would be cautious about giving up a significant asset in a deal to fix a temporary problem.
