Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd addressed his team’s 101-94 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday at American Airlines Center. Kidd highlighted the effort of his players, particularly the Hardy–D’Angelo Russell pairing, which helped the Mavericks cut a 22-point deficit to one late in the fourth quarter.
Kidd noted that the team executed well under pressure, but missed opportunities prevented a comeback. “Letting the guys play…we were going to look for that, but DLO felt like he had a good look and came up short,” Kidd said about a key possession near the end of the game.
Anthony Davis led Dallas with 26 points and 11 rebounds, providing a strong presence in the paint. Kidd praised Davis’ ability to generate second-chance opportunities, saying, “When you have that many misses, you hope that we can get some offensive rebounds and he was one to do that.”
Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick from last summer, struggled after sustaining a left shoulder injury on the opening possession, finishing with two points on 1-of-9 shooting. Kidd confirmed Flagg played through pain but emphasized the learning experience of being in crunch-time situations for young players.
The Mavericks relied on contributions from Max Christie and Jaden Hardy throughout the game. Kidd said Christie “has been playing well at a high level…knocked some down early and late,” while Hardy benefited from open looks in the fourth quarter.
Kidd also addressed the challenge of balancing player development with winning. “He got hit early in the game…we went with someone else and they picked him up,” Kidd said, referencing Flagg’s early exit. “It’s a lesson learned, and the group that was out there put us in a position to win the game.”
Oklahoma City’s strong interior play and balanced scoring proved decisive. Isaiah Hartenstein recorded 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 23 points, and Chet Holmgren contributed 18 points, 11 boards, and four blocks, helping the Thunder maintain a 4-0 start.
Dallas will look to rebound when they host Indiana on Wednesday.
