Mavs-Spurs primer: Going for the season sweep

SAN ANTONIO – If you’re looking for the best bargain on the Mavericks’ roster this season, look no further than Kessler Edwards.

The man has paid for his modest, two-way contract many times over.

The 6-8 Edwards is earning $578,577 on his two-way deal. It allows him to be active for a maximum of 50 NBA games.

After he poured in 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against the Spurs on Monday (both career-best numbers), Edwards has officially become the poster child for being opportunistic for the Mavericks.

That he calmly drilled two key free throws with 45 seconds to go cemented the way he has taken advantage of a chance that neither ne nor anybody else in the organization believed he would have this season.

Two-way players simply aren’t supposed to end up as key starters on a team fighting to stay alive in the playoff picture.

““It’s incredible,” said Klay Thompson. “I’m so proud of what Kessler did tonight, it was incredible. His leaping ability, being able to finish around the rim and he knocked down those two huge free throws. What a clutch moment for him.”

As Jason Kidd said: “He was great. Kessler was incredible, made big shots and he’s playing the center position.”

Since Feb. 12, when Daniel Gafford went out with a knee injury joining fellow big men Dereck Lively II and Anthony Davis on the sideline, Edwards has averaged 8.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in just over 24 minutes per game (11 games, nine starts).

He’s quite simply given the Mavericks everything he can. He’s even made the occasional three-point shot when teams step away from him on the perimeter and dare him to shoot.

And he’s had to learn how to play center for the first time since he was in high school.

“It’s been different,” he said. “I’m getting used to it. My teammates have had my back the whole time, making it a lot easier for me. But with this many games under my belt playing that way, it feels good to be getting into a rhythm.”

Still, it’s something he didn’t expect.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, all the injuries, but the group of guys out there now, we’re just happy to be out there and playing for each other,” Edwards said. “We’re just going out there fighting for each other.”

He played Monday’s game with a bandage glued above his left eye, a gift from Dwight Powell’s head when the pair collided in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against Phoenix.

“I actually didn’t get any stitches,” Edwards said. “DP did. But they just glued the band-aid on me. It’s not affecting me too much.”

Not much of anything is these days as Edwards continues to exceed all expectations anybody had for him this season.

The only problem is that the Mavericks can only play Edwards in five more games of the remaining 16. With two-way players only eligible for 50 games in an NBA season, Edwards is at 45 after Monday.

Here’s what to look for in the Mavericks-Spurs rematch Wednesday:

• It’s difficult to beat a team twice in a row, particularly when they are the home team, but the Mavericks will try to complete the two-game sweep and the four-game season-series sweep after winning twice in Dallas earlier in the season.
• The Spurs have been struggling without 7-3 Victor Wembanyama, but it’s possible they could regain the services of Jeremy Sochan, who missed Monday’s game with a calf injury. Wembanyama is out for the remainder of the season to recover from a blood clot issue in his shoulder.
• Harrison Barnes has been a rock for the Spurs, averaging 11.7 points. He’s coming off a 29-point, eight-rebound effort in Monday’s game.
• The Mavericks are breathing down the neck of the Sacramento Kings, who occupy ninth place in the Western Conference standings. The Kings are 33-31, tied with the Mavericks in the win column, although the Kings have played two fewer games than the Mavericks and therefore have the edge currently.
• The Mavericks had four players over 20 points on Monday, which was half of their available players. They were led by Spencer Dinwiddie, who had 28 points, followed by Thompson with 26, Naji Marshall with 23 and Edwards with 22.
• The injury situation is not going to improve tonight for the Mavericks: Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington, Jaden Hardy, O-Max Prosper and Kai Jones all are out. Brandon Williams, who missed Monday with a hamstring strain, likely will be the only one with a chance to return Wednesday.

DALLAS MAVERICKS (33-33) at SAN ANTONIO SPURS (26-37)

WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday.

WHERE: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio.

TV: KFAA 29, MAVSTV STREAM.

RADIO: KEGL 97.1 FM, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)

X: @ESefko