I'm out on the 2023-24 season ....

[fifteenth]

If we're gonna dog the coach when the team looks absolutely hopeless and riot for a change, then we should give the coach props for making them look the most polished they've been in 365 days. 

This year has taught me a lot about Jason Kidd. The dude is absolutely fine with failure/losing. In fact I think he advocates for it during the regular season, as he thinks it builds his team up. He's partly right. A team built through adversity is a strong one. On the other hand he is a dolt because it's the riskiest game to play and truthfully why should a coach be ok with losing? If there is a lesson that his players can teach himself, I think Kidd will let the team fail to learn it (*if they even do).

If a game is going poorly because his guys aren't motivated, there is a 0.1% chance that Kidd will save them. As he said, he's just watching like us. But!!!!!! If Kidd believes in a team AND if they have bought into his system, then he really does know how to win a game. I think that's why Kidd has always had pretty above average playoff success as a HC. 

But again those 2 events that appear to be rare as hell, because out of the 5 editions of Mav teams Kidd has coach (KP Mavs, WCF team, Wood Hell, Post Kyrie trade, Current team), only 2 versions have worked. It's hard to get rid of him because of how ingratiated he is with Luka and Kyrie, but thankfully this version of the Mavs are all under contract for a while. So maybe keeping Kidd isn't terrible.

(But maybe we'd be even better under a real coach like Budenholzer....?)

Good stuff SH!! I heard Nick Angstadt talking about this exact thing. Based on what Nick was saying, which is based on things JKidd says, Kidd believes that the team is going to be better if they learn how to work through adversity, solve the problem, find the motivation themselves, rather than having to completely rely on the coach to fix everything or to give them motivation. 

At the same time, this isn't how he is at all times. He was a big part of the team meeting after the most recent losing stretch and had a lot to say.

Here's my takeaway: I've been frustrated by Kidd. But this philosophy makes sense to me. It helps me to give him more leeway. If the result is that the Mavs end up more mature, able to handle adversity, tougher minded for the playoffs, and that helps them to make a deep run, then well done JKidd. 

As far as play style goes. I liked watching Rick's beautiful offense. I was a Rick-o-phile. I think I even posted a few months ago about Rick's team having a better record the Kidd's team. But what we've seen over the past 10 games out of the Mavs, with the ability to morph the offense based on the other team's defense, and unleash either a three-point barrage or a dunkfest, works just fine for me. And that defense is starting to look ok too.