Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has been penalized $35,000 by the NBA, as announced Monday.
This fine was levied following Kidd’s public criticism of referees after the Mavericks lost to the Houston Rockets, 111-107, on January 31. He expressed his frustration in a media interview, using some strong language.
Kidd’s dissatisfaction stemmed from a questionable call near the end of the game, where he felt Dallas guard Cooper Flagg should have been awarded a foul during a layup attempt. The referees deemed the play clean, which may have impacted the Mavericks’ four-point loss. He didn’t hold back during the post-game press conference, calling out the officiating team.
Kidd remarked, “I saw a foul. The officials couldn’t tolerate it. That’s a foul. He needs to be at the free-throw line. Now, will he make it both times? That’s up to the players, but the referees didn’t do their job. They were terrible.”
He also went on a passionate outburst about the criticism he’s faced for utilizing his rookie players, saying, “I don’t care what you guys write because you haven’t played the game. So, I develop players. So I know what I’m doing. Accepting criticism only makes me better.”
This loss marked the Mavericks’ fourth consecutive defeat, further complicating their playoff aspirations. As they entered Monday, they were just outside a playoff position in the Western Conference, trailing the Portland Trail Blazers by 3.5 games and the San Antonio Spurs by 14.5 games in the Southwest Division.
The Mavericks are still dealing with the aftermath of trading star guard Luka Doncic to the Lakers a year ago. They acquired the promising Flagg, who’s currently averaging 19.8 points per game, showing some strong performances recently. Meanwhile, Doncic’s trade counterpart, Anthony Davis, is unavailable due to a hand injury sustained in January.
Kidd is in his fifth season with the Mavericks and hopes to improve the team’s fortunes this year. He guided Dallas to the NBA Finals in the 2023-24 season, although they lost to the Boston Celtics. However, since Doncic’s departure last February, the team has struggled to regain its former success, making Kidd’s recent fine another hurdle in a challenging two-year span.
