When people talk about the Dallas Mavericks, they have to mention Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd. You already know, right? The 2011 NBA champions had the odds stacked against them against the Miami Heat. The "big three" included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. But apparently, the former Mavs head coach has had a secret this whole time against his own team all along.
On ALL-STAR Magazine, the former Mavericks champion and head coach of the Mavs talked about the 2011 run and was asked if he ever teased James about the Finals series. Kidd answers as if he's not giving his team much credit at all.
“Nah, I would never bring that up… He would bring it up… That we got lucky… And I just say I agreed with him.”
Jason Kidd downplays the Mavericks' 2011 championship to LeBron James
This may be a playful way to keep the peace, but really? One of the best point guards and Mavericks in history, as well as the head coach who was on the payroll a few months back, says the Mavs got "lucky" to win a championship. Really?
Kidd was the starting point guard on a team that went through a gauntlet in the playoffs, and arguably the most competitive in playoff history. LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Miami's core were in the way, and the Mavs beat all of them.
It was one of the toughest roads ever, and the Mr. Maverick himself says they got lucky?
The Mavericks had an impressive plan to keep the ball out of James' hands. He averaged 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in the NBA Finals. Not bad, but nowhere near his standards. Even more impressive? He got eight points in a Game 4 struggle when Nowitzki was battling his own "Jordan flu game."
The Mavs also had Shawn Marion to do the dirty defensive work against James and Wade, and sometimes, it seemed the Heat had no answer for it.
Nothing was "lucky" about that Finals series. There was no controversial call that led the Mavs to win. If anything, Nowitzki and the Mavs, down 15, helped lead one of the most stunning fourth-quarter comebacks in Finals history. Game 6 was a contest up until the middle of the fourth when the Mavs started to run away with it.
The Heat finally had the team they needed in 2012, when they took on the young OKC Thunder and beat them in five games. Why was that not luck, but the Mavs' championship was?
Kidd and the Mavericks left on mutual terms this summer, so it's not like he should have any bad blood against the organization. The franchise needs to start on a new foot with Cooper Flagg in the way.
Either way, it's weird to see your former head coach and one of the best Mavericks players in history talk about getting his NBA championship ring by luck. Again, it could be a way for Kidd and James to keep the peace with one another, but still, it's weird.
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