Jason Kidd

SOURCE SPORTS: Jason Kidd and Joe Mazulla Mark Third Matchup of Black Head Coaches in NBA Finals History

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The 2024 NBA Finals will feature a historic coaching matchup between Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks and Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics. This marks only the third time that two Black head coaches will face off in the championship series. The previous instance was in 1975 when Al Attles led the Golden State Warriors against K.C. Jones and the Washington Bullets, and in 2017, Mike Brown and the Warriors, filling in for Steve Kerr, faced Ty Lue and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Mavericks are just four wins away from securing their second championship in franchise history. The last time Dallas reached the Finals was in 2011 when they triumphed over the Miami Heat. This year’s finals appearance marks a significant milestone for Jason Kidd, a key player in the Mavericks’ 2011 title run, who seeks to lead them to victory as head coach.

On the other hand, the Celtics are chasing an unprecedented 18th NBA title, which would break their tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most championships in league history. Boston’s storied franchise boasts a record 17-5 in their past 22 Finals appearances, but they have struggled recently, losing in 2022 to the Warriors and in 2010 to the Lakers. The Celtics haven’t lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy since 2008, ending a 22-year drought from their previous win in 1986. A championship this year would snap their second-longest title drought in franchise history.

In addition to the historic coaching matchup, the Mavericks aim to become the first No. 5 seed to win an NBA title, following the 2020 Miami Heat as the only other fifth seed to reach the Finals. This exciting series promises to be a clash of legacy and determination, with both teams eager to etch their names in the NBA’s history.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Jason Kidd and Joe Mazulla Mark Third Matchup of Black Head Coaches in NBA Finals History first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Jason Kidd and Joe Mazulla Mark Third Matchup of Black Head Coaches in NBA Finals History appeared first on The Source.

Jason Kidd Announces Plans For Luka Doncic

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Luka Doncic’s 2022-23 season seems to be over. The Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd confirmed those reports. Earlier this week, Doncic stated he would play as long as the Mavericks had a chance at the playoffs. But with today’s news that the team would be without Irving, plans have changed. Shutting Doncic down all but means the Mavericks are looking ahead to the off-season. The Mavericks playoff chances were already slim. However, now they are on life support.

“I can’t speak for him. But I think when you look at [it], we all said that we want to have the opportunity to find a way to get in. And we were gonna play until told otherwise. And today is the day that we’ve been told that we’re gonna do something different. So he’s gonna participate in the first quarter and then he’s done for the season,” Kidd told the media. The move to shut down Doncic has been a shocker to everyone. Also, letting him play the first quarter Friday night seems like a head-scratching decision.

Luka Doncic To Be Shut Down For Remainder Of Season

The Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving experiment has seemed to fail. However, the Mavericks want to bring back both superstars. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has already stated the team hopes to keep Irving. But with the way things have ended this season, it may take a lot for Irving to return. Irivng’s performance in Dallas isn’t one of the reasons the experiment failed. But the team’s defense sure would take top billing in the blame department.

How will the Mavericks fix the issues from this season? Will ownership bring in a new coaching staff? In Kidd’s second season as the headman, Dallas has been in a state of free fall most of the season. A team with this much talent shouldn’t be at home during the playoffs. However, that’s exactly where the Mavericks will be. What do you think the Mavericks can do to right the ship? Will the team be able to bring back Doncic and Irving? Drop your thoughts on the Mavericks in the comment section. For the latest news in the NBA, keep it here at HNHH.