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Coaching Battle: Clippers’ Tyronn Lue Gets Best of Mavs’ Jason Kidd in Game 1

Kyrie Irving Reacts to Dallas Mavs’ Game 1 Loss vs. LA Clippers

LA Clippers’ Tyronn Lue Gets Best of Dallas Mavs’ Jason Kidd in Game 1: ‘We Dug Ourselves A Hole’

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has proven that he can bounce back from tough playoff losses to start a series, but Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue will keep him on his toes.

Heading into Game 1, the Los Angeles Clippers had the Dallas Mavericks on their toes when it came to the potential availability of star forward Kawhi Leonard.

Despite Leonard missing the last three weeks due to knee inflammation, the Clippers still listed him as questionable for Game 1. One popular theory among fans is that Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue knew Leonard giving it a go wasn’t likely, but not letting the Mavs know that for sure could create a mental advantage.

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“I think we prepared as if [Kawhi] was going to play until he was ruled out just recently,” Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said. “But we also prepared if he was going to be out. So we’re prepared on both ends.”

That preparation wasn’t enough, as the Mavs came out sluggish and looking lost en route to a 56-30 halftime deficit. Dallas eventually figured things out in the second half and looked more like the team we got to know during the final 20 games of the regular season, but it was too little, too late. Despite a big fourth-quarter push, the Mavs ultimately lost Game 1, 109-97.

“We did dig ourselves a hole,” Kidd said. “The positives are that we kept fighting in the second half. We expected the Clippers to come out physical, and we just didn’t respond that first to their physicality.”

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Kidd has proven that he can bounce back from a series-opening loss. The Mavs have yet to win a Game 1 with Kidd as head coach, but they’ve won two of the three playoff series he’s been a part of so far. We’ll see if he can do the same against Lue, who does a great job of putting his team in position to win games even while being undermanned.

Before this series began, Kidd mentioned how tactical Lue is as a coach, and that he was looking forward to the adjustments that would be made throughout this series. Lue landed the first punch, as his team looked much more prepared and physical in Game 1. Now it’s on Kidd to have his guys ready for a bounce-back performance in Game 2.

“When someone like Kawhi, who has a huge presence for their team, does a lot for their team offensively and defensively and isn’t playing,” said Kyrie Irving, “there’s a bit of an adjustment period mentally that you got to get ready, because that means that other guys have to step up. And I think we saw that tonight.”

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After getting that abysmal first half out of their system, the Mavs went on to win the third and fourth quarters by 14 points combined. If Kidd can bottle up that momentum and carry it into Game 2, the Mavs will be in good shape when the series shifts back to Dallas this weekend.

“Goal is to win a championship,” Kidd said. “I’ve had the opportunity to do it as a player and a coach. Now I would like to do it again as a coach.”