Jason Kidd has been in the league long enough to know that a losing streak isn’t something to panic about.
After all, there is still another half a season remaining on the Dallas schedule.
Jason believes that what the Mavericks have to do now is get back to the things they do well and once that happens, the wins will come. Paramount on that list? Defense.
"Team defense has been our blueprint when we were winning and now that we’re not winning our defense has dropped off," J-Kidd said.
"We’re taking small steps. Its not anything new as far as being in this league,you’re going to play through your highs and lows and try to minimize the lows. For us right now we have enough talent we just can’t get enough stops when we need to or make a shot. This is the time for us to get closer together and look at what we can do to individually just to help us out."
After the starters combined for just 60 points over the weekend, Jason played the role of distributor to help the Mavs equal that total in their game Monday afternoon.
All told, Jason dished out a game-high 13 assists in the 103-89 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The loss was number six in-a-row for Dallas, but because of their torrid start, they remain 12 games above .500 at 26-14. According to J-Kidd, drastic changes aren’t necessary, the Mavs just need a little more effort:
"This game is about effort and we’re not giving the effort," he said. "There are guys that can come and give that effort so I think everybody has to do a little bit more effort-wise and the big thing is never to get frustrated because then you start doing things out of the ordinary. We just have to stay the course."
With the help of six first quarter assists from J-Kidd the Mavs went punch-for-punch with the Pistons through the first half on Monday and trailed by just four at the break.
But during the third quarter Detroit went on a shooting streak that any team in the league would be hard-pressed to match. Detroit poured in 34 points to start the second half while shooting 72.7 percent from the field. During the scoring barrage, the Pistons made shots on 11 straight possessions. By the end of the third, Dallas trailed by 13 points, 75-62.
Despite No. 2’s four assists in the final period, the Mavs couldn’t match Detroit’s efficiency on the offensive side. Dallas put in 27 points fourth quarter points, but the Pistons shot nearly 60 percent from the field on their way to the 14-point win.
ROUGH ROAD
The loss came on the heels of a weekend in which No. 2 and the Mavs faced two tough opponents on a road back-to-back.
The Mavs traveled to San Antonio to take on the Western-Conference leading Spurs Friday night and then got back on a plane and flew to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Saturday.
J-Kidd played well against the Spurs and finished with seven points to go along with four rebounds and three assists. No. 2 got his team started off on the right foot as he scored five of Dallas’ first seven points in less than three minutes to help the Mavs keep pace.
After allowing 100 points against the Spurs on Friday, the defense bounced back on Saturday against the Grizzlies by allowing just 89 points. Unfortunately for Dallas, the Mavs could muster just 70 points in response. Jason hit a three-pointer to open the scoring for Dallas and also had four assists and four rebounds in the loss
NEXT UP
The Mavs return home tonight and Jason will be looking to help his team bounce back on Wednesday night when Dallas plays host to the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
J-Kidd told Mavs Moneyball he wants nothing more than to help his squad end their current losing streak:
"Any time you lose it’s frustrating. When you’re losing more than two games in a row, we’re on a skid right here. We got to put a stop to it."
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CST and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA.
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