- Kidd unleashed an expletive-laden outburst against ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon
- Irving and Doncic have led the Mavs to an 11-6 record after struggling last year
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Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd unleashed an expletive-laden outburst against an ESPN reporter Tuesday night, albeit in his famously subdued, monotone delivery.
In response to a question from Tim MacMahon, a longtime NBA reporter who has covered Kidd since his playing days, the Mavs coach demanded that reporters provide more positive coverage.
“It’s okay to write positive things,” the 50-year-old Hall of Famer said. ‘People will read your positive s***. You don’t always have to be negative. The world is already negative.’
The back-and-forth started when MacMahon asked Kidd about the Mavs’ improved performance in late-game scenarios. Unlike last year, when newly acquired Kyrie Irving failed to outlast star point guard Luka Doncic, resulting in a disappointing 38-44 record, this season’s Mavs have been exceptional in clutch situations and are they are currently at 11-6.
“After you traded for Kyrie, I think the clutch situations were a struggle,” MacMahon asked after the Mavs’ 121-115 win over the rival Houston Rockets in Dallas. ‘This year you are among the best in the competition in those kinds of situations. What difference have you seen in the dynamics, especially in Luka and Kyrie’s final matches.’
WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (right) has covered Mavs coach Jason Kidd since his playing days
Somehow Kidd found a way to take offense at the question.
“Tim, maybe it’s the things you guys thought should have happened on Day 1, which is that they should be successful right away,” Kidd began. ‘Failure is okay. It’s not a bad thing for a professional athlete to fail because you can improve and learn from it.
‘Those two are the best in the world and we feel very comfortable when those two have the ball. Sometimes it goes in, sometimes it doesn’t.
“But we’re learning from it, and I think they’ve answered that question from Day 1. As you just said, they are one of the best, if not the best, in the clutch era. But that was a big thing that you guys wanted to make a big deal about last year. But you don’t really care about it this year because things are going well, right? So write some positive things.’
Confused, MacMahon explained that he had merely been “asked a question.”
“And I’ll give you a damn answer,” Kidd fired back.
At no point did Kidd acknowledge that the premise of MacMahon’s question was clearly positive: the Mavericks have improved, especially late in games.
The Oakland resident then took the opportunity to demand more uplifting overall media coverage.
“Let’s look at positive things about positive people who do their job every night,” he added.
MacMahon pointed out that the Mavs are “making it a lot easier this year,” given the team’s success.
However, Kidd also took issue with that statement: “Well, we’re only in this year. We can’t go back to last year. That’s the fucking problem.’
Mavs teammates Kyrie Irving (left), Grant Williams (center) and Luka Doncic (right) are 11-6
And with that, Kidd told reporters to “have a good night” and left.
Kidd has endured his ups and downs with the media since becoming coach of the Brooklyn Nets in 2013.
Remarkably, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks the following year for a pair of second-round draft picks, amid reports that he tried to wrestle control of player personnel away from general manager Billy King.
Kidd denied that accusation before spending four seasons in Milwaukee, two as an assistant with the LA Lakers and three seasons with Dallas, where he also won his only title as a player.