Because of their close relationship and the many hours they’ve spent together, Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has sympathy for Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel.
Kidd was an assistant coach the past two seasons on Vogel’s staff. That includes when the Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship in the bubble, and also includes when the Lakers were bounced by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of last season’s playoffs.
So Kidd knows the highs and lows with the Lakers.
“The goal here in LA is to win a championship,” Kidd said prior to Tuesday’s 109-104 victory over the Lakers. “Frank is up to that task. He’s proven it (and) he’s going to work through this.”
The Lakers are just 27-34 and have lost 15 of their last 21 games. Kidd, meanwhile, said he’s tried to stay in contact with Vogel during this busy season via text just to see how he’s doing.
“I’ve been watching the (Laker) games,” Kidd said. “I’m cheering for him – not (during Tuesday’s game against the Mavs).
“But I’m cheering for him, and I think at the end of the day he’s going to come out of this better as a coach, but as a team, too.”
Kidd said he’s implemented some of the defensive principles he learned from Vogel into the Mavs’ system. It must have worked, because the Mavs are first in the league in the fewest amount of three-point field goals allowed (10.7), second in fewest point allowed (103.4), and fourth in the lowest three-point field goal percentage allowed at 34 percent.
“I took a lot from Frank,” Kidd said. “We had — the two previous seasons – the number one defense.
“The big thing is this (Mavs) group has played extremely hard on the defensive end at a very high level so that we can get stops, we’re active, and you saw that in that last game (on Sunday) against Golden State in the fourth quarter. We were active and we executed the game plan.”
After trailing by 19 points in the fourth quarter Sunday, during one eight-minute span the Mavs remarkably outscored the Warriors, 26-1, as they went 11-of-15 for the field while Golden State was just 0-of-11, including 0-of-7 from downtown.
Overall against the Warriors, the Mavs were down by as much as 21 points. And in taking a page from Vogel, Kidd looked his players in the eye and told them what they were doing wrong.
Kidd also used some of those defensive principles he learned from Vogel against the Lakers when the Mavs held LA to just 17 fourth-quarter points on Tuesday.
“The other thing I picked up from Frank is just being honest,” Kidd said. “Players don’t want to hear the truth, but they’ll respect you if you tell them what’s going on and be honest with them even if they don’t like it.”
Before the Lakers defeated the Mavs in Dallas, 107-104 in overtime on Dec. 15, Kidd did something for Vogel that expressed just how close their bond is.
“When he came to Dallas, I left him a gift in the locker room – something that he likes,” Kidd said. “I didn’t mean for him to take the ‘W’, too. I thought the gift was good enough.”
Briefly: Point guard Luka Doncic, who turned 23 on Monday, entered Tuesday’s game against the Lakers after averaging 34.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists in the month of February. Also, Doncic has the most games in NBA history when leading his team in points, rebounds and assists before the age of 23 with 80. Second on that list is LeBron James with 40. . .When asked about that tremendous offensive rebound dunk Luka Doncic executed in the first half over Laker center Dwight Howard, coach Jason Kidd asked: “Was that Luka? I guess since he’s gotten older he’s jumping higher.” Forward Dorian Finney-Smith has his own thoughts on the vicious dunk that may have been the best of Doncic’s four-year career. “I thought it was Maxi (Kleber),” Finney-Smith said. “I didn’t even know it was (Doncic). Happy Birthday, Luka.”. .Trey Burke (left shoulder sprain), Marquese Chriss (right knee soreness), Tim Hardaway Jr. (left foot surgery), Frank Ntilikina (right ankle sprain) and Theo Pinson (right fifth finger fracture) all missed Tuesday’s game against the Lakers. . .In discussing utilizing forward Dorian Finney-Smith at the center position, coach Jason Kidd described it as position-less basketball. “We have to label them as centers, or power forwards or point guards,” Kidd said. “But it’s your five against their five. And sometimes it’s 6-9 and under. So, who can cause a problem, who can come in and knock down a three, and who can get stops and rebounds (will likely win).”. .The Mavs have posted a 21-7 record since Dec. 31 and are 12 games over .500 (37-25) for the first time since they were 40-28 last May 9 following a 124-97 win at Cleveland. The Mavs ended last season with a 42-30 record. . .Counting wins in Miami and New Orleans prior to the All-Star break, the Mavs completed this road trip with a 4-1 record. The lone loss was last Friday at Utah, 114-109.
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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