After a disappointing end to last season that saw the Dallas Mavericks miss the NBA playoffs despite trading for eight-time All-Star Kyrie Irving leading up to last season’s trade deadline, the Mavericks have gotten off to an impressive start in 2023-24. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd made it clear during his press conference yesterday that he no longer wants to speak about the past.
The Mavericks defeated the Houston Rockets 121-115 yesterday in the NBA’s In-Season Tournament led by incredible performances from Irving and co-star Luka Doncic, who combined for 68 points. The two are getting more comfortable playing together and Kidd highlights that during a long-winded rant in response to a question by ESPN’s NBA reporter Tim MacMahon.
“Maybe it’s the things that you thought would happen day one, that they should be successful right off the bat. It takes time. Failing is alright… It was something you guys wanted to make a big deal of last year, but not making a big deal about this year…”
Kidd is alluding to the constant negative press and media attention that was directed toward himself, Irving, Doncic, and the Mavericks last season when they finished with a 38-44 record and missed the playoffs after making the Western Conference Finals the previous season.
Now, Kidd tells MacMahon and the rest of the reporters in the room to “write some positive sh*t,” before he got up and concluded his press conference.
Kidd is tired of the negativity directed towards him and his team and wants the media to pay attention to the good things happening in Dallas thus far to start the 2023-24 campaign.
