Jason Kidd takes shot at Chris Paul over fouls

Nov 19, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers coach Jason Kidd warms up players before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd certainly is not going the diplomatic route after officiating became a controversy in Game 4 of the team’s playoff series against Phoenix.

The Mavericks won Sunday to even up the Western Conference semifinals at two games a piece. They were aided by Suns guard Chris Paul spending much of the game in foul trouble. Paul played just 23 minutes in Sunday’s game, and fouled out with ten minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The sixth foul was particularly controversial, and the Suns definitely seemed to feel that the Mavericks were embellishing minor contact in a bid to draw fouls.

Kidd was asked about that after the game, but he turned the question around, saying the Mavericks were being “taught” how to draw timely fouls by “one of the best point guards ever on the other side.”

Jason Kidd on Mavs drawing timely fouls: “We’re being taught by one of the best point guards ever on the other side. That’s pretty cool.”

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) May 8, 2022

That’s about as sharp a reply as you’ll see from a head coach. Paul has his own reputation for making the most of contact, and Kidd’s suggestion is that the Mavericks are not doing anything Paul hasn’t been doing for his entire career.

Kidd’s brutal honesty makes for some great shade. He knew exactly what he was doing here, and it certainly makes the series more interesting as it shifts to a best-of-three scenario.