Source: Kevin C. Cox / Getty
Going into Tuesday’s in-season tournament game against the
Houston Rockets, the Mavs had lost three of their last four games. They barely eked out a 121-115 win against the Rockets –mostly thanks to Luka Doncic’s 41-point performance– and head coach Jason Kidd is tired of the media’s negative coverage of his team.
So when it was time to address the media after the win, he took his frustration out in a back-and-forth with longtime ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon.
He explains that people think last season’s trade for
Kyrie Irving and subsequent teaming up with
Luka Doncic would have been successful immediately. Still, he believes that failure is okay and allows players to improve.
Given how decently they’re doing, he wishes the media had a more positive spin on the Mavs season.
“So write some positive sh-t,” Kidd says.
“I’m just asking you a question,” MacMahon responds before Kidd goes on an expletive-laced yet very chill rant.
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“I’m giving you a f-cking answer. It’s alright to write positive stuff. People will read your positive sh-t. You don’t always have to be negative,” Kidd says. “The world is already negative enough. Let’s see some positive stuff on positive people that are doing their job on a nightly basis.”
MacMahon responds that the Mavs’ success is making it much easier to write less critical stories this year compared to the 2022-23 season, which ended with a 7-18 record and missed the playoffs.
“We’re only into this year; we can’t go back to last year. That’s the f-cking problem,” Kidd says before leaving the press conference.
As the clip made waves on social media, even
LeBron James chimed in to agree with Kidd, surprised to hear the fellow championship-winning NBA vet use such harsh words.
“For J to curse you know he wasn’t happy at all! I don’t think I ever heard him curse. I mean from competing vs. him, teaming up with him and playing for him. Never! He was HOT and quite frankly RIGHT!! Love J Kidd!” he wrote.
See how social media is reacting to Kidd’s rant below.