After a jarring Sunday performance that saw Jason ejected and Dallas fall, 97-84, to the New Orleans Hornets, the Mavericks find themselves down 3-1 in the playoffs’ opening round.

Trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter, J-Kidd tried to wrap up the Hornets’ Jannero Pargo on the fastbreak, but unintentionally caught him on the neck, sending Pargo to floor. Jason was given a Flagrant 2 call, an early exit and a possible Game 5 suspension.

J-Kidd finished the night with three points, four rebounds, and three assists in 29 minutes of play.

UNINTENTIONAL
J-Kidd was clearly unhappy with the flagrant 2 call on the Pargo foul, and disputed it after the game:

That’s the official’s call, I wasn’t trying to hurt [Pargo]. I was just trying to stop him from getting an easy layup and send him to the free throw line.

With Jason facing possible suspension, the Dallas Morning News caught up with Hornets ‘guard Chris Paul, and Mavs Coach Avery Johnson for their views on call:

“It was just a hard foul,” Paul said, “but I don’t think there’s a reason for him to be suspended for the next game.”

“I saw a review of it. Kidd wasn’t trying to hurt anybody,” Johnson added. “I think he got caught in a bad position. It was just a tough call. By no means was he trying to injure Pargo.”

MAVS NEED THEIR FLOOR LEADER
J-Kidd is still looking to find his groove in the series. He enters game five averaging seven points, seven rebounds, and six assists. The Dallas Morning News caught up with Dirk Nowitzki to ask him about the possibility of J-Kidd being suspended for Game 5.

“He’s our floor leader,” forward Dirk Nowitzki said, “but if he’s not there, we’ll have to get it done without him.”

NEXT UP
No. 2 and the Mavs head back to New Orleans, Tuesday facing elimination down 1-3. The game tips at 4pm PST, and will be televised nationally on TNT.

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