Jason Kidd was in no mood for patience following the Dallas Mavericks’ loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday night.
The Mavericks head coach delivered an explosive postgame response, firing back at criticism surrounding his decision to use Cooper Flagg at point guard and unloading on the officiating crew that worked the game.
Kidd’s frustration surfaced quickly when a question about Flagg’s role drew a sharp interruption.
“I don’t give a f— about the criticism,” Kidd said. “The criticism, that’s your opinion. You guys write that bulls—. I’ve done this. I’ve played this game. I’ve played it at a very high level, and I know what the f— I’m doing.”
The veteran coach made it clear that outside opinions, particularly from the media, hold little weight in his decision-making process. Kidd emphasized his background as both a player and developer, pointing to experience as the foundation behind his confidence.
“I don’t give a f— what you guys write,” Kidd said. “Because you guys have never played the game before. I have built players. I know what the f— I’m doing. To take criticism, it only makes me better. Because if I wasn’t doing it right, you guys wouldn’t be poking holes at what I’ve done.”
While the criticism of Flagg’s usage drew the initial response, Kidd did not stop there. He also directed his anger toward the officiating, which he felt played a significant role in the outcome of the game. One late sequence involving Flagg appeared to be the breaking point.
“I saw a foul,” Kidd said. “(Referees) 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.”
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