Kidd now calling the shots for Mavericks on offense

[HexNBA]

Kidd now calling the shots for Mavericks on offense

11:20 PM CST on Saturday, January 31, 2009

MIAMI – Jason Kidd is at his best with the ball in his hands and his mind engaged.

Rick Carlisle has made sure that will happen.

Carlisle let it be known after the win over Miami that he no longer calls the majority of the plays. The Mavericks coach met with Kidd earlier in the week and told the point guard to take over. Carlisle then handed Kidd a CD with the plays he had been calling and how efficient the players were in those sets.

There has been a noticeable offensive improvement in the two games Kidd has called.

"I think I have a pretty good feel of where we need to get the ball," Kidd said. "The big thing is have everyone understand what we're running.

"Now, nobody has to look over and figure out what we're running. We've tried to eliminate some of the steps of the process and just play."

Several players estimate that Carlisle called 70 to 80 percent of the plays in the first three months of the season and Kidd took the rest. That ratio has been reversed the last two games.

"He's orchestrating what goes on, and I'll help out a little bit here and there," Carlisle said. "He's doing a great job of leading the guys who are out there on the court. We really need him in that role as a leader, as a guy calling the shots out there."