Kidd explains revealing comment about ‘best player’ during 2024 NBA Finals

Kidd explains his illuminating comment about the ‘best player’ during the 2024 NBA Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd made some notable statements the day before Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals, when his team was trailing 1-0 against the Boston Celtics.

“Well, Jaylen (Brown) is their best player,” Kidd said at a press conference on June 8. “If you just look at what he does defensively, he took Luka (Doncic) full court, went to the free throw line, he did everything. That’s what your best player does. He plays both ends, defense and offense, at a high pace. He’s been doing that all playoffs. When you talk about the Eastern Conference MVP, it seems like he’s picking up where he left off.”

Many interpreted these comments as an attempt by Kidd to drive a wedge between Celtics superstars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum by reigniting the debate over which player is better/more important to Boston’s success.

Kidd is adamant that that was not his intention with those comments. He simply thought Brown played very well.

“He was playing the best at the time, I think. Some people saw it as me trying to start something. But he had just won the Eastern Conference MVP and he ended up winning the Finals MVP, so I don’t know if I was wrong,” Kidd told NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Monte Poole in a recent interview discussing the launch of the Browns’ Oakland XChange initiative.

“But as we know, sometimes the media can take it as if I was trying to start something between Jayson and Jaylen, but that wasn’t it. I just made the comment that Jaylen is playing at a high level. So it wasn’t like I was starting something. But Jaylen was playing his best basketball at the right time. I made that comment and some people took it as if I was trying to start something, but that wasn’t me.”

Brown averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.8 blocks and 1.6 steals per game in the series. He scored 30 points in Game 3 and hit a clutch jumper late in the fourth quarter of that victory. Brown was named Finals MVP after the Celtics eliminated the Mavs in Game 5 to win their 18th championship.

After returning virtually the same roster they just won the Finals with, Kidd acknowledges the Celtics are still the team to beat.

“You’ve got to get through Boston. They won last season and they’re built to compete for another season,” Kidd said. “You’ve got to beat the reigning champions. I’m glad they’re in the East.

“Hopefully we can see them again, but it’s going to be a tough season because there are so many talented teams. Hopefully we’re one of the teams where we can see them again when Boston gets there.”

Watch NBC Sports Bay Area’s Podcast about Dubs conversations to hear more about Brown’s conversation with Poole.