Jason Kidd called out his team’s second-quarter struggles after the Dallas Mavericks fell 132-111 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday at Paycom Center.
Kidd highlighted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s dominance in the final minutes of the quarter. “I thought Shai was good there in the last three minutes. He took over and got to the free throw line…he did it at a high rate tonight,” Kidd said.
The Mavericks struggled to get Anthony Davis involved offensively against Oklahoma City’s packed paint. “AD’s ability to score was going to be limited due to that and his teammates had to step up, and we just didn’t score there,” Kidd explained. He emphasized that Davis still made smart plays despite missing shots and committing turnovers.
Kidd stressed the importance of quicker decision-making when facing double teams on Davis. “We held the ball too long when trying to get it into the post…we have to be quicker in our decision-making,” he said, noting that delays allowed the defense to collapse on Davis.
The Mavericks’ perimeter shooting also hindered their offensive flow. Kidd noted, “I thought he [Davis] did a good job of getting guys shots. We just didn’t shoot the ball well tonight…we were in the 40s, if not low 40s or high 30s into the fourth quarter.” He added that the team needs to improve cutting and finishing around the basket to counter defensive traps.
Kidd was asked about a minor incident when Davis seemed to agitate his knee. “I don’t know, I think maybe they just bumped knees. He was fine and went back in,” Kidd confirmed, assuring that the injury did not impact his performance.
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 33 points in three quarters, while Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams added 15 each. Davis finished with two points, eight rebounds, and six assists, and the Mavericks shot 48% overall, struggling to match the Thunder’s efficiency.
With the loss, Dallas falls to 8-16, while the Thunder extend their streak to 14 straight wins. Kidd and the Mavericks look to bounce back at home against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, as Oklahoma City travels to face the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
