Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks wouldn’t let up this weekend, extending their win streak to 11 with a pair of wins.
J-Kidd grabbed a pair of double-doubles in back-to-back wins over the Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
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The Mavericks are sitting on top of the Southwest Conference with 11 straight wins under their belts. No. 2 couldn’t help but boast about his teammates after Saturday night’s win over the Bulls, as he told DallasBasketball.com:
"We’re loaded. We have guys who know how to put the ball in the basket, and we all enjoy sharing the ball and being part of a play that’s successful."
J-Kidd contributed 15 assists and 11 rebounds in the 122-116 win on Saturday. He is the only NBA player to reach the elusive assist/rebound double-double this season – and he’s done it four times.
Jason commended his team for racking up the points while he dished out the assists, as he told Pegasus News.
"Tonight, I didn’t have to score. My guys were knocking down shots."
Refreshed from a Wednesday night off, the 15/11 was No. 2’s second double-double of the weekend. He also scored 17 points and delivered 12 assists in a 108-100 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
PROFESSOR KIDD DISHES OUT A LESSON
Six of J-Kidd’s 27 assists found the hands of rookie Roddy Beaubois over the weekend, helping him reach season-high scoring totals two nights in a row.
The rookie is finding his stride as an NBA player and has found a mentor in Jason. He told NBA.com that he’s grateful to have such an experienced and accomplished teacher.
"It’s incredible," Beaubois said. "You know J-Kidd knows the game. He knows everything. He really has tried to help me, give me advice. I really appreciate it."
No. 2 sees Beaubois’ potential and told ESPN he’s a great student.
"He’s a talent. He’s going to be a special player in this league," Kidd said. "He’s a great student. He has all the tools to be successful. He’s working extremely hard. This was his first back-to-back and he got a little tired there. He’s a guy that people really don’t know, but he can shoot, he has long arms to defend, and you can’t teach speed."
To see the teacher and student at work on the hardwood, watch this video from NBA.com.
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RELOADING THE MATRIX
One of the unsung heroes of the Mavericks this season has been forward Shawn Marion.
As Sekou Smith writes for NBA.com’s Fan Voice, Marion has been revitalized in his return to J-Kidd’s side:
"Marion has had a career rebirth, of sorts, in Dallas, where he’s once again playing alongside a Hall of Fame point guard (Jason Kidd) and in an ensemble cast capable of winning a championship.
The mighty Mavs have won 11 straight games and go for No. 12 tonight at Minnesota.
And what Marion might have lacked in humility in Phoenix (remember he always fought against stereotype with the Suns, insisting that his production was the same before Nash and D’Antoni as it was after) he has made up for in understanding with the Mavericks."
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News noted Marion’s sacrifice in a column this week:
Jason told Sefko that, with just 18 regular season games left, everyone on the team knows it’s time to get ready for the playoffs and focus, not on statistics and winning streaks, but to sacrifice, as Marion has, for the good of the team:
"You look at all championship teams, they had guys who sacrificed," Kidd said. "There’s always guys who could do more stat-wise. But at a certain age, stats become secondary. Wins become the main factor in the equation. Dirk
[Nowitzki] could come out and shoot 30 times a night and just worry about his stats. But he accepts the double-team and makes the pass. If your best player is willing to sacrifice, everybody else has to."He went on to say his main concern is having a healthy team and of course, winning.
"We’re not really worried about other teams right now. We’re just trying to focus on us getting better. The biggest thing is for us to get healthy. We won shorthanded … but that just shows how deep we are. Everybody is focused on one thing and that’s winning."
NEXT UP
J-Kidd and the first-place Mavs face the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight at 7 CST. Watch the Mavs pursue their 12th straight win on Fox Sports Network.RELATED STORIES
Mavericks riding rookie Beaubois’ wave (ESPN.com, March 7, 2010)
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=30030600
Roddy B gets to sit at the Mavs’ ‘Adults table’ (DallasBasketball.com, march 7, 2010)
http://www.dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=2696
Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves preview (ESPN.com, March 7, 2010)
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=300308016
Dallas Mavericks 122, Chicago Bulls 116 (Pegasus News, March 7, 2010)
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2010/mar/07/dallas-mavericks-122-chicago-bulls-116/
Mavericks’ Marion has dialed back game for NBA’s top prize – a championship (Dallas Morning News, March 7, 2010)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/030810dnspomavslede.333af12.html
Shawn Marion lives (NBA.com, March 8, 2010)
http://my.nba.com/cms/112238/shawn_marion_lives?ls=iref:nbahpt1