Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber Set to Return for Mavericks' Season Opener vs. Spurs
Luka Dončić ready for Mavs’ opener after preseason injury; “big motivation to win” following last season’s Finals loss. Mavericks to face Spurs Oct. 24 with new lineup additions.
DALLAS — After being sidelined for the entire preseason, the Dallas Mavericks are expected to have Luka Dončić and Maxi Kleber available for their regular-season opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 24.
Following Saturday’s practice, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd mentioned that the only player likely to be sidelined against the Spurs is Danté Exum, who recently underwent wrist surgery. Dončić and Kleber have already participated fully in multiple practices.
“Our health is trending up,” Kidd said. “The only player likely to be out on opening night is Danté Exum, and maybe Kessler [Edwards], but the 15 guys who are ready all look good and are heading in the right direction.”
Dončić suffered a left calf contusion early in training camp, which has limited the Mavericks’ opportunities to build on-court chemistry with Klay Thompson and other newcomers while having their main scorer and playmaker. The team intends to take full advantage of having five practice days with Dončić before the season opener.
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Kidd described Saturday’s session as a “hard practice” to provide the team with the necessary level of competition before starting the regular season. The goal is to get everyone on the same page in time for the opener.
“We wanted to make it challenging,” Kidd said about Saturday’s practice. “Today was a hard practice, and the energy and competition over the last two days have been extremely high. We want to foster that competitive spirit, especially with Luka back. It changes the game when he’s on the floor.”
Kleber, who dealt with a left ankle sprain throughout the preseason, missed all of training camp after suffering the injury in September. “It’s great being back on the court, being back with the team, so I feel good about it,” he said.
The newcomers, including Thompson, Naji Marshall, Quentin Grimes, and Spencer Dinwiddie, are still getting familiar with the Mavericks’ terminology and principles, leading to some preseason miscommunications. Kleber, who averaged 4.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists last season, praised their character but noted that the team’s defensive communication still has room for improvement.
“I think overall, it’s about including the new guys, who might have a different understanding of the defensive concepts from before,” Kleber said. “It’s about communicating with them and building their trust in the system and their teammates, knowing that help will be there. I think the biggest area we can improve is better communication on the defensive end.”
Coming off an NBA Finals appearance, the Mavericks hold high expectations for the 2024-25 season. Dončić, who averaged 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds last regular season, appears ready to set the tone early based on his recent workouts. He’s eager to use the losing in the Finals as motivation for this season.
“I think just the experience of being in the Finals is different than other games,” Dončić said on Media Day. “I can’t explain why, but just being there feels different. Last year wasn’t good enough; we wanted to win it all. So when I say it’s a learning experience, it’s the same as motivation. You know, it’s a big motivation to win it.”
A strong start will be crucial as the Mavericks seek homecourt advantage next postseason after having to begin four playoff series on the road. It’ll be important to take advantage of having seven of their first nine games at home. Regardless, the team understands that patience is a necessary part of this process.
“Patience is a key for any season,” Kidd said. “In generating chemistry, trust, it’s going to take some time. We have some new pieces and even for the pieces that have been together, you don’t just pick up where you left off. This is a new season.”
There is a lot of optimism and excitement surrounding this Mavericks team, particularly amid seeing the potential of what Thompson’s skill set brings next to Dončić and Kyrie Irving in the backcourt in recent practices. The first chance to see this combination in action will be against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs—the type of rim protection presence that Thompson’s shooting will be needed to counter.
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