Tim MacMahon has covered the Dallas Mavericks since head coach Jason Kidd was still the franchise’s point guard. And it seems Kidd has had enough of the longtime ESPN NBA reporter.
Following a question from MacMahon about the team’s improvement with crunch-time offense this season compared with last season, Kidd went off on him. Never one to clean up his language or polish his answers for the media, Kidd called out the negativity of MacMahon’s coverage and began to argue with the Dallas-based ESPNer.
“You wanted to make a big deal about it last year, but you’re not making a big deal about it this year because s***’s going good,” Kidd said. “So write some positive s***.”
MacMahon responded that he was simply asking a question.
“And I’m just giving you a f***ing answer,” Kidd retorted.
Kidd then seemingly make a case for Mavericks coverage leading to more positivity across society.
“People will read your positive s***,” Kidd said. “You don’t have to be negative.”
MacMahon pointed out it’s a lot easier to be positive during a season in which Dallas is winning games. Last year, the Mavericks made a big trade for Kyrie Irving, but failed to make the postseason. The team shut its star players down the final week of the season to cement its spot in the NBA Draft lottery.
In the same press conference, Kidd called out MacMahon and Dallas media for not drawing enough attention to MVP candidate Luka Doncic’s defense.
https://twitter.com/SloHoopsFan/status/1729730881936326897
Kidd is known for turning questions back on reporters and being prickly.
However, Kidd has a 49-50 record the past two seasons as head coach of the Mavs. The team has only won two playoff series during Doncic’s career.
In sports-crazed Dallas, that leads to pressure.
Kidd may think he can play assignment editor to get out of negative attention. You would think a Hall of Fame player would know better.
But it seems we can stay tuned for the next chapter of Kidd vs. MacMahon at the next Mavericks’ postgame press conference.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.