PAINFUL NEWS: Dallas Mavericks are in a big trouble for allowing………
Jason Kidd, head coach of Dallas Mavericks, looks on during the basketball friendly match played between Real Madrid and Dallas Mavericks at Wizink Center pavilion on October 10, 2023, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images
The 2023-24 NBA In-Season Tournament kicks off on Friday night, but the Dallas Mavericks are set to be without their head coach in a big matchup against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets.
Kidd did not travel to Denver and will miss Friday’s game with a non-COVID illness, per NBA insider Marc Stein. Assistant Sean Sweeney is expected to step in for Kidd, Stein added.
The Mavericks are off to a hot start in Kidd’s third season behind the bench.
Dallas is 4-0 with wins over the San Antonio Spurs, Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls.
Luka Dončić, unsurprisingly, has been the team’s best player, averaging 33.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists while shooting 51.1 percent from the floor and 42.2 percent from deep.
One player who has impressed in the early going is Tim Hardaway Jr., who is averaging 20.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 45.0 percent from the floor and 43.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Hardaway has never averaged 20 points in a season, but it’s clear he’s going to play a big role in the team’s success throughout the year.
The addition of Grant Williams in a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics has also paid dividends for the Mavs. The 24-year-old is averaging 15.5 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 54.3 percent from the floor and 55.2 percent from deep.
However, the Mavericks have yet to play a team of Denver’s caliber.
Going up against Denver without Kidd isn’t ideal, but if the Mavericks can beat the Nuggets, basketball fans might be willing to finally consider Dallas among the top contenders in the Western Conference.
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