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LOS ANGELES — Maxi Kleber (back soreness) was downgraded to QUESTIONABLE for Tuesday night’s game versus the New Orleans Pelicans, according to a late addition to the Lakers’ injury report . However, the veteran big man was later cleared to play after testing his back pregame .
Injury Timeline
| Time | Status |
|---|---|
| Early Tuesday | Not on injury report |
| Afternoon | Downgraded to QUESTIONABLE (back soreness) |
| Pregame | Cleared to play, available vs. Pelicans |
Kleber has appeared in four of the Lakers’ last five games, averaging 2.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 10.0 minutes per contest during that span .
JJ Redick’s Recent Praise
After Sunday’s 128-104 blowout win over the Sacramento Kings, Lakers head coach JJ Redick sang Kleber’s praises—both for his on-court contributions and his value as a teammate .
“He’s a terrific teammate. It’s easy to root for his success,” Redick said . “He’s not the same that he was when he was at his peak in Dallas, when I thought he was one of the most impactful universal defenders in the NBA. But he just plays winning basketball, [is] very unselfish and selfless” .
Redick, who was teammates with Kleber on the Dallas Mavericks during the 2020-21 season, knows firsthand the type of impact Kleber can have . Against the Kings, Kleber played 14 minutes, made all three shot attempts for six points, grabbed six rebounds, and added a blocked shot—including a poster dunk over Precious Achiuwa that ignited the bench . Teammates Celebrate Kleber
The Lakers’ bench erupted after Kleber’s highlight plays—moments that carried extra meaning given his sporadic role this season . Marcus Smart explained why everyone pulls for Kleber:
“He does everything right, man. And he’s such a good person. He wants to see everybody win, even though he’s not winning in certain circumstances of not getting playing time as much as he would like, probably. Not getting the ball as much as he would like. But he doesn’t let that deter him from cheering on his teammates” .
Rui Hachimura added: “We always talk about how we wanna be like him. Whether playing or not, he’s always on the bench, cheering for the team, trying to help the team win. [That] kind of stuff is really big” .
Kleber acknowledged the support: “Every time I do something, you look to the bench, everybody’s celebrating. Obviously, it’s good push for me, good push for the team” .
Looking Ahead
With Deandre Ayton’s continued inconsistency, Kleber could play a role in the Lakers’ success down the stretch and into the playoffs . His ability to stay ready despite a career-low 11 minutes per game has earned him respect throughout the organization .
