Jason Kidd: Mavs 'Need' Tim Hardaway Jr. to Win NBA Championship

Despite Tim Hardaway Jr.’s struggles, head coach Jason Kidd believes the veteran shooting guard is vital to the Dallas Mavericks’ chances of winning a championship.

Although Tim Hardaway Jr.’s play is far from the only reason the Dallas Mavericks have lost five of their last six games, it would certainly help if he could find his shooting rhythm deep again.

After being a Sixth Man of the Year candidate for a good portion of the season, Hardaway is averaging just 8.4 points over his last 10 games while shooting 33.0 percent from the field, including 29.3 percent from deep. Mavs head coach Jason Kidd recently acknowledged Hardaway’s struggles and is searching for ways to bring him out of his funk.

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"Yeah, I think it's about work. I think it's about being able to talk to Timmy and see what he's thinking. You know, a lot of times we just look at the X and O's, but there could be stuff that could be going on off the court,” Kidd said.

"They're human, and so just understand we've all been in a slump shooting the ball or playing the game of basketball, or sometimes just in life, we could be in a slump. And so being able to find out who is truly on your side to try to help you through that [is important]. That's what we're here to do is help him through that.”

Kidd took it one step further, saying Hardaway is key to the Mavs being able to compete for a championship this season.

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"We trust and need Timmy if we want to win a championship,” Kidd said.

For the last several years, the Mavs have been reliant — probably too reliant — on Hardaway’s high-volume 3-point shooting to help them get wins. Despite Dallas adding new key pieces in Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, it still might need Hardaway's efficiency to increase again for the team to get back on track ... that is, unless Kidd wants to plug second-year man Jaden Hardy, who was scorching the nets before the All-Star break, into Hardaway's place.