Jason Kidd, the Dallas Mavericks head coach did not mince words as he expressed his deep frustration as the Mavericks got thrashed left, right and center in their first game of 2024.
In a game where superstar Kyrie Irving made his return after a 12-game absence, the Mavericks would’ve hoped for better discipline and communication within their group of players, led by young prodigy Luka Doncic.
Mavs’ HC talks on Jazz loss with taking fair share of blame
Jason Kidd, one of the beloved coaches of the league, seemed fairly disappointed with his pool of players as they fell to their 15th loss of the season. The disappointment would’ve been less had it been just a loss. However, the Mavericks got blown out 127-90, away from home.
Speaking to the press, Kidd admitted and was furious about his team’s lack of communication on the court through the game, calling it “non-existent”. He also accepted that he should’ve done better to involve the team and to spark important conversations amongst his players in the game.
The Mavericks led by Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic failed to fire their cylinders for the game against the Jazz. While Luka facilitated the team’s scoring, he couldn’t get himself to score as he shot 6 for 20 from the field and 3 for 13 from behind the arc. Doncic finished the game with a measly 19 points but had a high of 14 in assists.
In his return to the Mavericks after his 12-game absence, Kyrie seemed rusty and completely out of the loop on the defensive structures that Jason Kidd had streamlined for the rest of the squad.
From the bench, only Jaden Hardy seemed to find his rhythm as he ended the game as the Mavericks second highest scorer, only behind Doncic. Hardy converted five of his nine three-pointers to chip in with 17 off the bench.
Mavs HC Jason Kidd had this to say when asked about the game. Kidd remarked, “We just couldn’t get in a rhythm with that zone, the box-and-one, and the different defenses that they played tonight. We knew what was coming. We just didn’t execute or capitalize on it tonight.”
On the other side, not one play seemed to go wrong for the Jazz as they took advantage of the miscommunication present amongst the Mavs’ players. Spearheaded by Jordan Clarkson’s triple-double the Jazz cruised to victory without taking their foot off the gas. Undrafted star, Simone Fontecchio had a game-high 24 points as the Italian ended the game with 62.5% from the field.
Jordan Clarkson’s triple-double, the first regular-season triple-double for the Jazz since 2008, consisted of 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists as he thwarted the poor defense setups set by Jason Kidd with ease. The Jazz defended their homecourt and improved their season record to 15-19 as they beat the Mavs for their first game of the year.
Kyrie Irving’s return after 12-game absence was absolute mess
Mavericks’ superstar Kyrie Irving’s return to the court was one not to be remembered as he struggled on both ends of the court. One of the fanciest players with the ball and arguably the greatest dribbler of the ball, Kyrie was unable to find his rhythm on the court against the Jazz.
The two focal points, Luka and Irving weren’t able to communicate their plays with the rest of their squad effectively and weren’t able to keep up with HC Jason Kidd who was quite upset with their atrocious game sequences.
Irving, who is recovering from a bruised right heel, was incorporated into the Mavs’ rotation without any minutes restriction from Kidd and was allowed to play with absolute freedom. However, the game did not go in accordance with Kidd’s plans as Kyrie visibly struggled to generate baskets for the team.
Kyrie, who was traded from the Nets last season, ended the painful night with 14 points, shooting 6 for 14 from the field.
“It’s the first time in my career I’ve had this type of injury and it was unique and I wasn’t sure how long I was going to be out,” Irving said regarding his bruised heel. Irving added, “There was no structural damage done to it, but it was, achy, and I don’t want to say (I was) humbled, but you realize that the injury is a lot more significant when you can’t get your other shoe on.”
Jason Kidd and his Mavericks’ team will look to get back on track as they face the Portland Trailblazers next in back-to-back games.
What did you think of the Mavericks’ performance against the Jazz? Do you think the Mavs can contend for the NBA title this year? Is Luka Doncic an MVP contender this season? We’d love to read your thoughts and opinions, so please let us know in the comments below.
