Jason Kidd Goes Scorched Earth on Referees, Media After Mavericks Fall to Rockets

The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Houston Rockets on Saturday night, 111-107, but it had a slightly controversial ending. With the Mavericks down by two and about 30 seconds left, Cooper Flagg drove left to the basket and missed a layup, but it certainly looked like there was contact from behind by Kevin Durant, which would've sent Flagg to the line with one possession left in the game.

Instead, Tari Eason got free for a dunk on the other end, slammed it home, and that would essentially be the game.

Afterwards, Jason Kidd was not pleased in his press conference, calling the officials out by name for how badly they officiated the game, something he will almost assuredly be fined for.

"I saw a foul. Sean [Wright], Simone [Jelks], and Jason [Goldberg] were awful tonight. It’s unacceptable. It’s a foul, and he needs to be at the free-throw line. Does he make both? That’s up to the player,” Kidd said.

Jason Kidd was livid during his postgame presser. He thought Cooper Flagg was fouled on this layup attempt.

“I saw a foul. Sean (Wright), Simone (Jelks) & Jason (Goldberg) were awful tonight. It’s unacceptable. It’s a foul & he needs to be at the free throw line. Does he make… pic.twitter.com/pt5Jun7IC2
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) February 1, 2026

However, this is not the only thing he wasn't pleased about. Kidd was criticized at the start of the season for playing Cooper Flagg at point guard. While few doubted it would be good for his development, and it absolutely has been, the team has not done well without a true point guard in the lineup. Even now, with Flagg putting up crazy numbers, the team is on a four-game losing streak.

After the game, Kidd was asked about the criticism he received at the start of the season, and he didn't exactly give a pleasant answer (strong language warning).

"Criticism? That’s your opinion. You guys write that bulls--t. That’s not — I’ve done this. I’ve played this game. I played it. I know what the f--k I’m doing.
︀︀
︀︀"I don’t give a f--k what you guys write because you guys have never played the game. I build players, so I know what the f--k I’m doing. So if I take criticism, it only makes me better, because if I wasn’t doing it right, you guys wouldn’t be poking holes in what I’ve done."

Jason Kidd was asked by @RonKnowsSports about the national criticism for playing Cooper Flagg at point guard.

Kidd: "Criticism? That’s your opinion. You guys write that bullshit. That’s not — I’ve done this. I’ve played this game. I played it. I know what the fuck I’m doing.

"I… pic.twitter.com/NovR3R0PTV
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) February 1, 2026

Jason Kidd Has A Point, But...

Yes, playing Flagg at point guard has been great for Flagg's development. Jason Kidd has said since drafting him that he sees Flagg as a Grant Hill-type player. But this team also entered with self-imposed potential championship aspirations. And when the team started 3-10, a lot of those with Flagg at point guard, those aspirations were immediately thrown out the window.

It may help the team win in the future, sure, because it makes Flagg a better player, and that's what matters. But that wasn't what the goal was at the start of the season, that's what led to Nico Harrison being fired (he should've been fired before that), and that's what could have the Mavericks selling at this trade deadline.

Also, the notion of "I played the game, and you didn't, so that means I know more" is a tired trope. Yes, Jason Kidd will know more about the game than 99.9% of people. But just because someone plays in the NBA doesn't automatically mean they know more. We just saw Jamal Mashburn give a braindead take on Cooper Flagg, everyone is tired of takes from Kendrick Perkins and Rashad McCants, and people have started to get tired from the lack of analysis from Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley now that there are better shows with NBC and Amazon.

Every part of basketball plays its own role, including the media. It's okay to question things when they aren't working, and Cooper Flagg at point guard wasn't winning games. It technically still isn't winning games, but we can acknowledge that it's helping Flagg develop to help win in the future.

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