Is Kidd really the best head coach for this team?

[Knutsen]

I see what you are getting at. Makes total sense. I have to definitely eat some crow on Kidd. I've always been a Rick Carlisle fan and it's obvious he's a great coach. Yet again he is winning and has a great team put together in Indiana.

I think Kidd has a style that this team needs the more I look at it. I've NEVER seen Kyrie play like this. He is completely unselfish and not a distraction whatsoever. He's even teaching Luka how to lead. At first I thought Kidd was just letting Ky and Luka run the team on the floor (and he likely is). However, the game planning is something I think Kidd is leading. And I have to say overall he outcoached Ty Lue and Lue is a good coach.

What I mean by that is that after game 1 I noticed that the Mavs came out and really just made the game ugly. And that heavily played in Dallas' favor taking all of the Clippers rhythm away. Now against the Thunder they are playing more up tempo. Maybe it's just me (and I'll admit I have a limited knowledge of X's and O's with coaching) but it seems like Kidd is putting together the plan of attack after what he sees in game 1. Then, the team just goes out and implements it. Granted it takes a guy of Luka and Ky's high BBIQ to handle running that. But, maybe THIS is the approach THEY need. Not every coaching type works for every roster or key players.

Great takes here guys, was a pleasure to read your analyses and thoughts - thank you! 

What I am wondering and going back to some earlier posts in this thread: is that specific coaching and leadership style of Kidd somehow related to us losing each and every first game of all the playoff series we played? 

Because he doesn’t prepare the team as much as a control freak, a micro manager or on an emotional level a Steve-Ballmer-type-hype-them-up coach would?

[Smitty]

What I am wondering and going back to some earlier posts in this thread: is that specific coaching and leadership style of Kidd somehow related to us losing each and every first game of all the playoff series we played? 

I think it has more to do with being the lower seed, on the road, underdog, in 4 out of the 5 series he’s coached the Mavs in the playoffs.

It’s a stat to discredit him but in reality, the fact that he’s 3-1 and possibly 4-1 with a series win against OKC, while being the lower seed in each series (Except Utah) is actually impressive.

[ThisIStheYear]

It seems Kidd may be the kind of coach who’s very good with a team built exactly like he wants, like the team he has now, but isn’t the coach you want to scheme up a team with weaknesses. Or maybe last year, the Mavs started a soft tank earlier than we thought and Kidd wasn’t as bad as it seemed with the inexplicable rotations and end of game sets. I didn’t really see so much of that this season even when the Mavs were struggling.

[dirkfansince1998]

It seems Kidd may be the kind of coach who’s very good with a team built exactly like he wants, like the team he has now, but isn’t the coach you want to scheme up a team with weaknesses. Or maybe last year, the Mavs started a soft tank earlier than we thought and Kidd wasn’t as bad as it seemed with the inexplicable rotations and end of game sets. I didn’t really see so much of that this season even when the Mavs were struggling.

The way I would phrase it. Kidd is as good as the players he has. He will let them play. Just like Kidd in his prime the players aren't supposed to look for leadership or decision making from the coach. They have to figure it out themself. With the right kind of players it works. In other cases it doesn't.

[The Jom]

I think it has more to do with being the lower seed, on the road, underdog, in 4 out of the 5 series he’s coached the Mavs in the playoffs.

It’s a stat to discredit him but in reality, the fact that he’s 3-1 and possibly 4-1 with a series win against OKC, while being the lower seed in each series (Except Utah) is actually impressive.

This. The odds are stacked heavily against road 1 wins. But that one home loss is also uninformative, in my opinion, because Luka was out. Sure, we won game 2 without him. But that was the surprise, not losing the first one.

[audiosway]

Great takes here guys, was a pleasure to read your analyses and thoughts - thank you! 

What I am wondering and going back to some earlier posts in this thread: is that specific coaching and leadership style of Kidd somehow related to us losing each and every first game of all the playoff series we played? 

Because he doesn’t prepare the team as much as a control freak, a micro manager or on an emotional level a Steve-Ballmer-type-hype-them-up coach would?

I think it's partly this combined with being on the road as the under dog. I really think he just says to the team to go out and play a standard kind of flow offense and defense. Then, after game 1 they go in and now know what the other team is doing by studying film. Then, they make up a game plan based on that. Game 1 has always been a feel out game for teams anyway. I don't think he's the least bit worried about them losing game 1.

I agree with the other poster that said Kidd isn't the kind of coach you want to out coach the other side with Xs and Os. That was Carlisle. But, if you give Kidd his style of roster with a smart back court that can run the team on the floor that's his forte. Especially being able to get the best out of guys like Kyrie that are known to have been difficult for other coaches in the past.

[DallasMaverick]

Yes. Yes he is.

https://archive.is/ht1Ub

[Chicagojk]

Yes. Yes he is.

https://archive.is/ht1Ub

Great article.  Thanks for posting.  Really shows the complexity of what they are doing on defense.

[Chicagojk]

Great article.  Thanks for posting.  Really shows the complexity of what they are doing on defense.

Who handles our defense?  One of the comments by Lowe and also on his most recent podcast, is that Lively has been playing a pseudo zone by himself.   He says this is confusing the Thunder some.  He guards someone and then moves away from that player and OKC can't get a read on him.   I hadn't really noticed that.  Anyone else notice this ahead of time?

[KillerLeft]

Who handles our defense?  One of the comments by Lowe and also on his most recent podcast, is that Lively has been playing a pseudo zone by himself.   He says this is confusing the Thunder some.  He guards someone and then moves away from that player and OKC can't get a read on him.   I hadn't really noticed that.  Anyone else notice this ahead of time?

It's that same scheme they invented not long after the trade, where "everyone rotates around one person." Learning this tactic is why they had that stretch of really bad defense right before they turned up and had the 20 game stretch of #1 defensive ranking.

[The Jom]

These are X’s and O’s. They are not offense. They are not points after timeouts. But they are the result of brainy, complex coaching.

Coach Kidd 2-1 facing elimination (Phoenix game 6, 7, Golden State game 5), 3-0 in elimination opportunities (Utah game 6, Phoenix game 7, LAC game 6).