Coach Jason Kidd on Mavs' Dwindling Playoff Chances: 'No One's Dying'

Following the Dallas Mavericks' back-to-back losses to the Memphis Grizzlies, coach Jason Kidd knows the team must get healthy soon or 'that's just the season.'

Michael Mulford | Mar 14, 2023

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Dallas Mavericks

DALLAS – Health and availability is a skill in professional sports, and for the Dallas Mavericks, the injury bug has hit them at the least opportune time with the postseason just one month away.

On Monday night, the undermanned Mavs fell to the Memphis Grizzlies for the second straight game, 104-88, losing their third consecutive game overall and their ninth loss in the last 12 games.

In the loss, Dallas was without both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving for the second straight game, along with Christian Wood, who was out with right foot soreness.

Following the game, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd spoke to the media on the health of the team going forward in the final stretch of the regular season.

"Just understand, our health – this is what we have, these are the cards we're dealt," Kidd said following Monday's loss. "Just like anybody in this league, we've got to play with the cards that we had tonight. We played a good half of basketball with a young backcourt that's learning how to play the NBA game. Put that in perspective against a very good defensive team."

And the cards dealt to Dallas as of late have been less than ideal. With the injuries to Doncic and Irving on top of the continued late game struggles and defensive woes, the Mavericks have fallen from the No. 5 seed just last week to the No. 8 seed, falling under .500 for the first time since Dec. 19.

"Understand, we're getting better – it's just a matter of can we be healthy in time to make a stretch run?" Kidd asked. "If not, that's just the season. No one is dying."

No one is dying, indeed, but Dallas' chances at a run in the postseason, let alone a playoff berth, are getting close to being on life support.

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Published Mar 14, 2023

MICHAEL MULFORD

Michael Mulford is a writer/editor for Dallas Basketball, where he extensively covers the Dallas Mavericks. He also covers the Chicago Bulls as the Managing Editor for Bulls Wire of USA Today Sports Media Group. Mulford grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and graduated from the University of North Texas in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Event, and Sports Management. He began his pursuit of sports writing in 2017 with Dallas Sports Fanatic, where he covered the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, Texas Legends. He then became the Managing Editor of Dallas Sports Fanatic just one year later and has covered the Mavericks as a credentialed media member since 2018, including covering numerous playoff games between 2021-22 and covering the team at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in 2019. In his time covering the Mavericks, Mulford has conducted numerous interviews for exclusive stories including with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, former Maverick and current VP of Basketball Ops Michael Finley, former Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson, and more. You can follow and interact with Mulford on Twitter at @TheMulf.