Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks have the defending champion LA Lakers on the brink of elimination.

J-Kidd just missed out on a double-double with 11 points and nine assists to go along with four rebounds as the Mavericks completed another fourth quarter comeback to steal away a 98-92 victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

The Mavs now hold a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and can send the Lakers home early with a victory in Game 4.

"That’s a big win," Jason said after the victory. "We were down pretty much the whole game…But we stayed the course. We got stops down the stretch. We played great team defense and then stepped up and made shots."

Keying those stops down the stretch was J-Kidd, who took on the challenge of guarding Kobe Bryant again down in the final minutes. The results were strong.

Despite taking four shots down the stretch, Bryant went without a point for the final 4:33 of Game 3, as the Mavericks went on a 17-5 run to victory. Jason stuffed one Bryant shot and forced the Lakers star into a turnover on another trip.

Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News credited Jason’s superb work in his game wrap up:

"Then, the narrative turns to Jason Kidd. Kidd, 38 years old, has figured out how to make his contributions count at just the proper moments. Asked to guard Kobe when it matters (crunch time) has been a challenge that is obviously something he welcomes.

After Peja’s big 3, the Lakers predictably when to Bryant to get them points. Kidd locked down and forced Kobe into the air with help from Dirk at about 17 feet. Kobe changed his mind in flight and attempted to pass it inside to Gasol, who had turned his head to get the rebound that he suspected was soon to follow. The pass bounced off Gasol’s back and Kidd grabbed the ball and was fouled by Kobe."

But ever modest, while refusing to rattle Bryant’s cage with bulletin board material, No. 2 wouldn’t take credit as a "Kobe-stopper."

"You’re not going to get me to say I shut him down," Jason told reporters after Game 3. "So you guys can ask however many questions so many different ways and you can do it in a different language. I didn’t shut him down. I just got in his way and I had a lot of help."

J-Kidd did get help, on both sides of the floor. He was one of four Mavs to score in double-digits. Mike Fisher of Dallas Basketball noted the significance of that number:

"With Kidd contributing 11 points (and nine assists), the Mavs benefitted from the sort of balanced contributions that Carlisle has touted all season long. In fact, Dallas – winners of five straight postseason games – is now 5-0 when at least four players score in double-figures."

QUARTERBACK KIDD
Along with his 11 points, J-Kidd passed out nine dimes, continuing his assault on the Lakers via the pass.

Bryan Gutierrez of Mavs Fastbreak wrote about Jason’s quarterbacking skills after Game 3:

"It goes without saying that Jason Kidd is the quarterback of the team on offense. He’s lead the passing attack by averaging 8.67 assists in through the first three games against Los Angeles. According to Mavs’ statisticians, Dallas ranks second in the playoffs this year in terms of assists-to-turnover ratio at 1.74. The team’s regular season 1.71 ratio is tied for sixth best in team history. Jason Kidd’s 3.66 ratio this season was the seventh best in team history.

While the Mavs are in the midst of the series against the Lakers, Jason Kidd points back to the series against Portland as a sign their regular season success could carry over into the playoffs. "I think in that Portland series guys were touching the ball; we don’t know who’s going to shoot it," Kidd said. "Guys were penetrating, getting to the paint, working inside-out and that got guys wide-open looks."

The fact that the Mavericks have the ability to have a variety of players step up in a scoring manner only makes the facilitation that more difficult to deal with. If the Mavericks can keep this consistency going they are lined up to make a deep run in the playoffs."

Four of J-Kidd’s nine feeds went to Dirk Nowitzki, who led all scorers with his best game of a great series, scoring 32 points on 12-of-19 from the field.

"Dirk was huge," Jason said. "Even if he didn’t score the ball, he found the open guys."

Among them, Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic, who combined for 38 points off the bench. The Lakers reserves countered with just 15 points as a unit. Stojakovic helped draw the Mavs close midway through the fourth when he sandwiched a pair of threes around a trey from Nowitzki to pull the Mavs within three at 87-84 with 3:49 remaining.

"All I remember is

[Peja] making that big 3 in the right-hand corner and then coming back with that one dribble and making a big jump shot," said J-Kidd, who dished the assist on the first of Peja’s two fourth quarter treys. "That’s what shooters do and he’s one of the best."

No. 2 added a pair of free throws after drawing a foul on Bryant, which cut LA’s lead to one. On the other end, Jason’s D helped force Bryant into a miss and Nowitzki was fouled on the ensuing Mavs’ possession. After Dirk sank a pair at the line, the Mavs had their first lead of the second half.

The Lakers jumped back ahead briefly on a Derek Fisher bank shot, but on the next Mavs’ try, J-Kidd hit Jason Terry with a beautiful pass that JET turned into a trey. LA’s Lamar Odom tied the game with a jumper, but Nowitzki countered with a driving hook to make it 93-91 Mavs.

Four Jason Terry free throws later, the Mavs led by six and when Pau Gasol missed the second of two free throws to try and trim the edge to four, No. 2 grabbed his fourth rebound and drew a foul. Jason sank one of his two freebies and the Mavs pulled away with the win.

NEXT UP
The Mavs can close the series and ensure some well-deserved rest before the West Finals if they can finish the sweep on Sunday.

"This is something we didn’t think of," Jason said regarding the Mavs’ 3-0 lead. "We weren’t sitting here thinking when we were playing the Lakers and say we would be up 3-0. But we’re just trying to take it one game at a time. We’re going to put this one behind us and get ready for a quick turnaround on Sunday."

Sunday’s tip-off is scheduled for 2:30 CT on ABC.

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