Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has been fined $35,000 for publicly criticizing the officiating during a media interview, as announced by the league.
After a loss to Houston, which marked the Mavericks’ fourth consecutive defeat, Kidd expressed frustration over the media’s criticism regarding his use of rookie Cooper Flagg as the team’s main point guard.
“I don’t care about the criticism,” Kidd stated. “That’s your opinion. You write that stuff. I’ve played this game and I know what I’m doing.”
The No. 1 overall pick, Flagg, has performed well in the past two games, scoring 49 points and grabbing 10 rebounds on Thursday, followed by 34 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists on Saturday.
“I don’t care what you write because you haven’t played the game,” Kidd added. “I have developed players and I know what I’m doing. Criticism makes me better. If I wasn’t doing it right, you wouldn’t be questioning my decisions.”
Kidd also criticized the officiating crew, specifically a play late in the game when Flagg drove to the basket and missed a layup that could have tied the game.
“I saw a foul,” Kidd remarked. “[Officials] Sean [Wright], Simone [Jelks], and Jason [Goldenberg] were not good tonight. The referees were unacceptable. It was a foul, and he should have been at the free throw line. Whether he makes both is on him, but the refs didn’t do their job.”