Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd highlighted Max Christie’s aggressive play after Saturday’s 110-104 victory over the Houston Rockets. “He was great… looking to be a little bit more aggressive, and you saw that this evening. Not just from three, but being able to get to the rim,” Kidd said.
Kidd also lauded Christie’s two-way contributions. “I thought he was great on both sides, offensively and defensively for us tonight,” he added, noting that Christie helped the team sustain pace and create opportunities in transition.
The rookie Cooper Flagg faced early foul trouble but still impressed Kidd. “It’s not always going to be what you want… he got in foul trouble, but I thought the maturity of being able to do other things for his teammates… finding them for threes or making plays for him and then rebounding the ball for us was big,” Kidd said.
Anthony Davis had another strong performance, finishing with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Kidd praised his veteran center but noted room for improvement. “We got to do a better job of entering the ball to him in the post… but overall, both offensively and defensively he was good,” Kidd said.
The Mavericks adjusted their starting lineup to increase Daniel Gafford’s minutes, with Kidd emphasizing chemistry and team balance. “We want to look bigger… Cooper got in foul trouble, and they jumped on us right away, but I thought the group stayed together and we found a way to win,” he said.
Brandon Williams provided a spark off the bench, surpassing 1,000 career points. “He’s been great for us… his skill set is pretty high when you talk about his speed, playmaking, and getting to the rim,” Kidd said, adding that Williams’ decision-making and pace benefited the team.
Rebounding was a key focus against Houston, who grabbed 17 offensive boards. “If you break even with this group, that’s a win… they’re one of the best at giving themselves second opportunities, and we still did our part up to the fourth quarter,” Kidd said.
The Mavericks also emphasized fast-break execution. “Our pace was at a high… being able to secure that rebound and then run and finish was a big part of that, and we did that at a high level for 48 minutes,” Kidd said.
Christie’s confidence has grown under guidance from Klay Thompson. “I think he’s taken that advice and run with it… I think we’ve all heard about Steph. It’s not about your last shot, it’s what you believe you’re going to do next,” Kidd said.
Dallas improves to 13-23 and will start a three-game road trip Tuesday at Sacramento, while the Rockets fall to 21-11 and host the Suns Monday.
