‘J-Kidd Nailed It’: Mark Cuban Defends Jason Kidd After Late No-Call Against Houston Rockets

Grant AfsethFebruary 2, 2026February 2, 2026

Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images

One night after a narrow loss in Houston, Mark Cuban made clear he shared the Dallas Mavericks’ frustration with how a late-game sequence involving Cooper Flagg was officiated.

Cuban publicly backed head coach Jason Kidd following a late no-call that came with 29 seconds remaining in Dallas’ 111-107 loss to the Rockets, a play that prevented the Mavericks from getting a chance to tie the game at the free-throw line.

On the possession, Flagg drove left toward the rim, attempted a contested shot with Amen Thompson guarding the ball and Kevin Durant rotating in help defense, missed the layup, and fell to the floor. No foul was called, and Houston secured the rebound moments later.

Jason Kidd Points To Consistency, Not Complaints

Beyond the national criticism surrounding his handling of the Mavericks’ star rookie, Kidd was also frustrated with how Saturday’s game was officiated late.

“I saw a foul,” Kidd said. “Sean Wright, Jason Goldenberg and Simone Jelks were awful tonight. That was unacceptable. It’s a foul. Now, does he make both? That’s up to the players. But the referees did not do their job tonight.”

Kidd emphasized that his issue was not isolated to one play, but part of a broader lack of consistency as Flagg’s offensive responsibility has increased.

“He’s going to continue to keep going until he hears the whistle,” Kidd said. “There were a lot of fouls missed with this young man. Maybe they just don’t know his game yet, but that’s who he is.”

Mark Cuban Says Issue Goes Beyond One Play

Cuban echoed that sentiment Sunday, framing the no-call as part of a larger pattern rather than a single missed decision.

“JKidd nailed it on the refs,” Cuban wrote. “Particularly how they are officiating Coop.

“It’s insane. When every touch was a foul, last month, he didn’t get any calls. Then the crew chiefs made the decision there should be more physicality, changing how they call the games mid-season, like they did a couple years ago, so that not only does Coop still not get any calls, he gets HAMMERED more often.”

Cuban ended his post by encouraging “Mavs Nation” to document missed calls and tag the NBA referees’ official social media account.

Cooper Flagg Keeps His Focus Forward

While Kidd and Cuban escalated their concerns publicly, Flagg took a more measured approach in his postgame remarks.

“Definitely felt some contact,” Flagg said. “But at the end of the day, it’s the refs who are making the calls. It is what it is.”

The moment marked the second consecutive game in which Flagg had the ball with a chance to tie or win in the final seconds, underscoring how quickly the rookie has become central to Dallas’ late-game execution.

Organizational Alignment Remains Clear

Although Kidd’s postgame availability also included a separate, profanity-laced response to national criticism about playing Flagg at point guard, those comments were directed at outside evaluation — not officiating.

On the issue of the late no-call, the message from Dallas was unified.

“He’s built to win,” Kidd said of Flagg. “He’s going to try to do everything to help his team win, and he’s done that all season.”

The Mavericks may continue to come up short in close games. On this issue, however, ownership, coaching, and player leadership remain aligned in their belief that consistency — especially late — remains the standard they are seeking.

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Grant Afseth

Senior Writer

Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.

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