‘They’re A Right-Handed Team’: Jason Kidd Wants Dallas Mavericks To Play Fast, Rebound Against Free-Throw-Hungry Orlando Magic

DALLAS — Jason Kidd knows exactly where Friday night’s game against the Orlando Magic will be won or lost for the Dallas Mavericks.

“Their ability to get to the free-throw line — that’s something we have to limit,” Kidd told Dallas Hoops Journal before tip-off at American Airlines Center. “They’re a right-handed team. When you look at Paolo and those guys, if you let them get to their strengths, they’re going to hurt you. We have to rebound the ball.”

The prescription for his own team was equally pointed.

“For us, we’ve got to play fast,” Kidd said. “We have to rebound and get into transition and hopefully take advantage of that.”

Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane Headline a Dangerous Orlando Attack

It is a straightforward game plan, but executing it against the Magic will require a level of discipline Dallas has struggled to sustain. The Mavericks have allowed 120 or more points in 12 of their last 14 games, surrendering 124 and 123 in back-to-back losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks earlier this week.

Paolo Banchero averages 22.4 points per game and gets to the line at a high rate, and Desmond Bane, shooting 39.0% from 3-point range while averaging 20.4 points per game, gives Orlando a second perimeter option that demands consistent attention.

Brandon Williams, who watched the teams’ first meeting from the bench last month, offered his own scouting report on the Magic heading into Friday.

“They’re a pretty physical team,” Williams told Dallas Hoops Journal. “You can see how they defend ball screens, especially with their guards and their bigs. They’ve got size with guys like Paolo, so it’s going to be a tough matchup. We’ve just got to be ready to compete.”

Cooper Flagg Sounds the Alarm on Three-Point Defense

Cooper Flagg identified the same defensive gaps after Tuesday’s 123-99 loss in Milwaukee, where the Bucks attempted 54 threes and made 20.

“A lot of stuff, but I think just helping each other out, rotating,” Flagg said. “Obviously, we gotta guard the three-point line better. But it starts with just guarding your man, keeping him in front so that we don’t have to get into a lot of rotations.”

Kidd has been consistent in finding threads of growth even amid a brutal stretch of losses. After Milwaukee, he pointed to the team’s ball movement in the first half and its defensive activity — Dallas forced 10 steals on the night — as signs that the work is paying off.

“I thought early on we were moving the ball,” Kidd said after the Bucks game. “The more that we moved the ball, the better shots we got. So we just had to be consistent there.”

Injuries Remain the Constant

Consistency has been the challenge all season, and Kidd traced much of that to the injuries and illnesses that have shuffled his roster on a near-weekly basis.

“When you look at health, it’s been very inconsistent,” he said Friday. “If it’s not an injury, it’s an illness. Naji (Naji Marshall) was playing some of his best basketball — we lose him to illness, but he’s back. P.J. (P.J. Washington) was playing well — we lose him to illness, and he’s not back yet.”

P.J. Washington, Marvin Bagley III, and Caleb Martin are all listed as doubtful Friday, while Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II remain out. The next-man-up mentality Kidd has preached all season will once again be put to the test.

Growth in the Margins

Still, Kidd pointed to individual growth stories as evidence the group has not stopped competing. Brandon Williams has taken a significant step as a ball-handler and facilitator. Ryan Nembhard has grown more comfortable running the offense. Max Christie, who went 1-of-12 from the field in Milwaukee, received a direct message from his coach postgame.

“I told Christie I was proud of him to keep shooting,” Kidd said. “He was one-for-12. In the past, maybe he stops at one-for-six, but that’s growth. We need him to shoot — he’s one of our scorers.”

Respecting Jamahl Mosley, Focused on the Finish

As for what Friday represents in the larger picture, Kidd was clear. The Mavericks will not be in the playoffs. There is no positioning to protect. But there is still a standard to uphold, and he referenced his former Mavericks assistant coach Jamahl Mosley — now Orlando’s head coach — as an example of what building the right way looks like.

“Mosley is an incredible coach,” Kidd said. “He has his young team playing at a high level. He’s a competitor and has helped develop a lot of those young guys. I’m happy for him and wish him the best throughout the playoffs.”

The Mavericks, for their part, are focused on finishing their own season the right way.

“At some point, we’ll be healthy,” Kidd said, “and this will be a fun team.”

Tip-off from American Airlines Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT on Friday.

More Dallas Mavericks Coverage Before Orlando Magic Matchup

• ‘We’ve Just Got To Be Ready To Compete’: Shorthanded Dallas Mavericks Seek Rare Home Win As Orlando Magic Come To Town
• ‘I Was Not Part Of The Process’: Jason Kidd Addresses Luka Dončić Trade, Mark Cuban Comments
• ‘He’s Given Me That Confidence’: Cooper Flagg Credits Jason Kidd For Playmaking Evolution
• ‘Mentally Taxing’: Cooper Flagg Opens Up On Weight Of Losing Dallas Mavericks Season
• Dallas Mavericks’ Jason Kidd Responds To Mark Cuban’s Latest Comments On Luka Dončić Trade: ‘When Are We Going To Move On?’
• ‘Guys Aren’t On The Same Page’: Cooper Flagg Posts 12th Double-Double As Dallas Mavericks Lose 123-99 To Milwaukee Bucks, Injuries Pile Up