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Tim MacMahonMar 9, 2025, 07:47 PM ET
- Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009
- Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks
- Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM
DALLAS — With a bandage over his left eye, Kessler Edwards returned from the locker room and headed straight to the scorer’s table to check back into Sunday afternoon’s game for the Dallas Mavericks with 6:05 remaining in the fourth quarter.
That was the last substitution that Mavericks coach Jason Kidd made in a 125-116 loss to the Phoenix Suns, primarily because he didn’t have any choice.
The injury-ravaged Mavericks entered the game with only nine available players, three of whom suffered injuries Sunday afternoon, including two on the same play when Edwards and center Dwight Powell collided heads while chasing a rebound. Powell, who received seven stitches to close a gash in his forehead, and guard Brandon Williams (hamstring tightness) weren’t able to return.
Guard Dante Exum and forward Caleb Martin weren’t available after the midway point of the fourth quarter because they are on minutes restrictions after recently returning from extended injury absences.
“Never seen this,” Kidd said. “Never been in a game where we could not take someone out to rest them because we had no one to put in. At the end of the bench, usually you can put someone in. If they were not in [street] clothes, they were in the back getting stitches or could not move or walk. It’s tough. It is what it is, though. You’ve got to keep pushing forward.”
Powell told ESPN that he expects to be available for the second game of the Mavericks’ back-to-back in San Antonio on Monday. That would allow Dallas to field an active roster with the league-minimum eight players.
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Kidd said that he anticipates that Williams, a guard on a two-way deal who started Sunday, will miss some time and that none of the players who were inactive against the Suns are expected to be available Monday night. The inactive list includes Anthony Davis (left adductor strain), Daniel Gafford (right knee sprain), Jaden Hardy (right ankle sprain), Kyrie Irving (torn ACL in left knee), Kai Jones (left quad strain), Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture), Olivier-Maxence Prosper (right wrist sprain) and P.J. Washington (right ankle sprain).
The Mavericks are handcuffed from adding any reinforcements despite having an open roster spot — and having more than enough injuries to qualify for a hardship roster exception — because they are only $51,000 below the salary cap’s first apron and cannot exceed that threshold. A 10-day contract pays $119,972.
Center Moses Brown averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds in the final two games of his 10-day contract that expired March 1, but the Mavs couldn’t afford to sign him to a second 10-day deal.
“We can’t sign anybody, so me and Duds cost too much,” Kidd joked, referring to Mavs assistant coach Jared Dudley, whose 14-year NBA playing career ended in 2021. “You’ve got to laugh or else this will drive you crazy.”
ESPN’s Bobby Marks contributed to this report.
