After 13 years, the Mavericks are in the NBA Finals.

 After 13 years, the Mavericks are in the NBA Finals.

The core group that clinched the championship in 2011 still remembers the experience vividly. They've been supporting Jason Kidd and the new generation of Mavericks.

Before Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday, Kidd shared that he spent part of Monday night at Dirk Nowitzki's house, enjoying some camaraderie and taking a break from endless film sessions and strategizing.

When asked which team was better, Kidd couldn't resist a bit of humor.

"The '11 team was better for sure because I was on it," Kidd said. "And Dirk's my neighbor, so I don't want to upset him."

Turning serious, Kidd compared the 2011 title team with the current squad, which is the closest any Mavericks team has come to reaching the NBA Finals since 2011.

"That team was old in '11," he noted. "This is a young, talented team. This team probably has more talent and youth. But the old guys on the '11 team knew their roles well.

"Both teams sacrificed. The '11 players might have wanted different roles, but they embraced their responsibilities. We had injuries, but we had a next-man-up mentality, similar to this team."

Players like Jason Terry and Shawn Marion, whose names are on the 2011 championship banner at American Airlines Center, consistently emphasize their enduring brotherhood.

Kidd acknowledged this camaraderie.

"I was with Dirk yesterday at his house," he said. "I saw Jet at the arena the other night. It's always good to see him. Shawn Marion texts every day. Trix is never short on words. He's been great.

"Those guys have reached out and are cheering from afar. They like the team and what's happening. Hopefully, we can finish it by winning a championship. But first, we need to end this series."

Kleber’s Return: With Dereck Lively II sidelined due to a neck sprain, the Mavericks welcomed Maxi Kleber back to the center position. Kleber had been out since the Game 6 clincher against the Los Angeles Clippers on May 3, recovering from a separated AC joint in his right shoulder, missing 24 days.

Coach Jason Kidd mentioned he would ease Kleber back into the lineup, and he did so with short but impactful stints. Kleber quickly made his presence felt by taking a charge from Karl-Anthony Towns and then defending Rudy Gobert effectively, forcing a shot-clock violation.

Lively’s absence altered the dynamic for both teams, as Minnesota coach Chris Finch noted.

“Anytime you’re missing one of your key players, it changes the dynamic of what they can do,” Finch said. “It gives them less size and bounce at the rim, but if Kleber’s playing at the five, that gives them a stretch lineup we haven’t seen all series.”

Despite his injury, Lively was on the Mavericks’ bench, cheering for his teammates.

“He’s doing a lot better,” Kidd said. “Sore, but he’s doing better.”

Barkley Ahead of His Time: On the TNT pregame show, Charles Barkley didn’t hesitate to look ahead to the NBA Finals, predicting a matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Mavericks.

Before Game 4, Barkley emphasized the impact of former Maverick Kristaps Porzingis’s return to the Celtics lineup.

“He’s going to have to be healthy if they’re going to win against the Mavs,” Barkley said. “The Mavs are going to be very formidable. That’s going to be a heck of a series.

“Getting Kleber back is a really big deal. You’re not going to guard these guys one-on-one, and he was one of their best shooters. He’s better than all those Mavs shooters right now. That’s going to be a hell of a series. But they’re going to need Porzingis.”