Jason Kidd praised Cooper Flagg’s performance after the Mavericks fell 116-114 to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. “He was really good down the stretch. He did a really good job finding his teammates and taking advantage of scoring,” Kidd said.
The coach reflected on Flagg’s fearless play, including a fourth-quarter drive against Giannis Antetokounmpo. “He plays to win, and no matter who’s in front of him, he’s going to challenge,” Kidd noted.
Brandon Williams also drew attention from Kidd for his offensive contribution. “He ran the team really well. Scoring 29 fast-break points shows the pace we were trying to play tonight,” Kidd said.
Kidd addressed the team’s defensive consistency, citing recent games in Memphis and Washington. “We gave ourselves a chance against a team that can shoot threes at a high clip, and we made it tough for Giannis in the fourth quarter,” he explained.
On building trust and team chemistry, Kidd emphasized the importance of competing every game. “Win or lose, you have to play 82 games. We’re building trust and competing, and sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce your way,” he said.
Moussa Cisse’s contributions off the bench were also noted by Kidd, who praised his energy and speed. “He sprints every possession, competes on defense, and creates opportunities offensively even if it doesn’t show in the stats,” Kidd explained.
Kidd reflected on the team’s shooting struggles, noting Dallas made only nine of 39 attempts from three-point range. “We’ve got to continue shooting them. They were wide open, and they’ll start falling eventually,” he said.
Giannis scored 15 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter as Milwaukee overcame a 13-point deficit. Kyle Kuzma added 26 off the bench, while Ryan Rollins’ late layup secured the win.
For Dallas, Flagg led with a season-high 26 points, and Williams added 19 in his first start. P.J. Washington Jr. missed a potential tying three-pointer in the final seconds.
The Mavericks will host Phoenix on Wednesday, seeking a rebound, while the Bucks travel to Charlotte for the first of back-to-back matchups.
