Eternal Youth for the Kidd - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

nikeball · 04-19-2010, 04:39 PM

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba...-for-the-kidd/

Eternal Youth for the Kidd
by Colin Powers

Jason Kidd? Forreal? The same Kidd who knocked Duke out of the Tournament in ’93? The same dude who teamed with Rex Chapman in Phoenix? Same guy who stole the city from the Knicks? That guy is still pushing the break, and now playing at perhaps the most efficient level of his entire career?

There has never been anything all that orthodox about Kidd’s career, so we really shouldn’t have thought we had any right to project how it would finish up. He was one of the most dominant players of the last two decades but without ever caring or having a proficiency for shooting, a true outlier in this epoch of the scoring PG. He never had the big cross-over or the lightning quick first-step of some of his contemporaries at the position but he still outplayed them. From day one, Kidd truly created his own path, and it looks Jason Kiddlike he ain’t gonna let conventional wisdom decide where it ends.

After all, marks of erosion were clearly visible as early as 2007, or so we thought; when the Mavs swung their young, jet-quick attacking PG Devin Harris for one of the elder statesmen of the League in the middle of that season, a lot of people were contemplating the peyote Mark Cuban must have been dabbling in. Kidd had a big contract, was on the decline, and couldn’t keep up with these youthful game-changers joining the League’s ranks at every draft. This sport rarely allows a graceful exit.

And yet, in 2010, at 37 years-old, Jason Kidd is fresh off a vintage performance last night in the first round of the Playoffs for his 2nd seeded Mavericks, dictating the pace, controlling and calming his teammates, and burying big shots time after time while just barely falling short of a triple double. 13 points, 11 dimes, 8 boards, 4 steals. He buried three of five from beyond the arch, including a dagger with under three minutes left that just about iced it. In this tense Game 1, we found a fitting tribute to and a perfect moment to symbolize Kidd’s continued evolution and tremendous ability to keep himself relevant in this young man’s game.

As a sure thing hall-of-famer, internationally undefeated, and bearing a legacy firmly established as one of the greatest ever at the position, Jason had little reason to do anything but ride off into the sunset. Nonetheless, Kidd arrived on the scene this year with that same need to win and a new tool from his summer work-outs: a sharper, more consistent jump-shot. He’s improved his balance and footwork, avoiding the historical pitfalls that plagued him of fading left and right when releasing his shot. Committed to staying disciplined in his mechanics, both in jumping straight up and down and in extending his follow-through, Kidd reemerged as a 42 percent 3-point shooter in 2010. That’s right. Jason Kidd is shooting 42 percent from 3. In doing so, he has transformed what were meant to be twilight years into an extended era resembling his prime, and in doing so, also helped transform the Mavs into genuine contenders. For both Kidd and the team as a whole, the window of being amongst the elite very much looked closed prior this October. To say the least, a lot can change in six months.

So not to fall into hyperbolae, it should be said that Kidd’s vision and understanding of the game on both ends of the court was always going to allow him to persist in effectiveness once his physical tools began to erode. He wasn’t a guy like Isiah or Kevin Johnson who built their game around dribble penetration, guys that developed an entire outlook on the game through their ability to take their man 1-on-1 in close quartered situations. Kidd was a bigger PG with strength and girth to offset any loss in wheels. He still loves the open court and attacking in thosJason Kidde advantageous situations, but he always had a diversified game that did not solely rely on breaking the D down, especially in the half-court. He is one of the smartest PGs of all time, and his mind was going to allow him to age well no matter what. But this well?

No, this new-found precision from distance has profoundly changed the way teams must defend him and Dallas as a team, and along with the acquisition of Haywood and Tough Juice, has played the biggest role in returning Dallas to contention. When the Mavs spread the court, there is no longer anyone to slink off of, providing Nowitzki, Butler, and Terry with the room and time to attack the defense. Kidd continues to make plays on the break, getting Shawn Marion and Haywood and the like easy buckets, and also keeps Dallas emotionally poised in moments when they might suffer from some ’06 flashbacks. But more importantly, this fresh incarnation of J. Kidd makes the Mavs far more difficult to handle in their half-court sets, which is where the majority of Playoff basketball is found anyway. Their spacing is so much improved, and the opposition is consistently forced into a catch-22 of sorts: The Mavs enter the ball to Dirk at the foul-line extended, isolating him in what is indiscriminately a tough match-up for any defender in the League. Surrounding the big German are three able-bodied 3-point shooters and a big man to clean up any ensuing garbage. If you throw a second defender at Dirk, you either open up lanes for a Maverick player from the weak side to cut through, piercing the heart of the defense for an easy two, or you leave an open shooter somewhere on the perimeter. If you let Dirk go one-on-one, he might just hit you for 36 points on 12/14 shooting. Poison either way.

In past years, a defending team might be able to send whoever was playing Kidd to double Nowitzki, scrambling to recover to the remaining shooters and taking Dallas out of their rhythm. This year, that strategy is not a real option. In the 4th quarter last night, we saw a Spurs team hopeless to combat such a Mavericks offense, with the subtle improvement to Jason Kidd’s shooting deserving much of the credit.

A good deal has been written about the influx of dynamic Point Guards beginning with the preeminent Class of 2005, and rightfully so. We have witnessed a striking number of special young playmakers populating the professional ranks in the past five years. Their masterful abilities along with the crackdown on physical defense have genuinely changed the nature of the game, and these guys are the vanguard. But all the while, a number of the old boys have quietly continued to go about their business, redefining the typical career trajectory of the point guard position. Through out history, the 30th birthday was an indelible mark of the coming end of days; 35 was an almost universal signal for a time to switch careers. Whether through nutrition, preparation, good luck, or just statistical anomaly, this post-season alone features three such players defying their age and ballin’ on: Mr. Kidd, Steve Nash, and Andre Miller. Let’s enjoy it while we can.

nikeball · 04-19-2010, 04:41 PM

Their game 1 recap:

by Maurice Bobb / @reesereport

You hear all the time that nobody’s perfect, but Dallas Mavs’ Dirk Nowitzki came pretty damn close last night against the San Antonio Spurs.

The All-Star forward hit 12-14 shots from the field and all 12 of his freebies from the charity stripe to finish with a game-high 36 points to lead the Mavs to a 100-94 Game 1 win oveJason Kiddr the Spurs in their first-round Playoff series.

The big German told the AP, “Sometimes, you have one of those nights where the basket is big.”

Not to say I told ya so—OK, Eff it, I told ya so—but the game pretty much stayed in line with my series predictions. Dirk and Caron Butler (22 points) went nuts with the rock on the offensive end of the floor, as did Tim Duncan (27 points and eight rebounds) and Manu Ginobilli (26 points). And Richard Jefferson was a complete dud as predicted with four points. Four points? WTF? Seriously, what’s going on with RJ? Is he playing like this so some sinister people won’t hurt his family or something? I mean, this guy has been such a disappointment it’s starting to piss me off, not as a Spurs fan, but as a basketball fan. I mean, sh*t, show some damn pride as a professional.

I was right on the point guard matchup as well. Parker got his 18, but the difference for the Mavs was Kidd’s 13 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds. I’ll say it again: I’m not saying Kidd is “better” than Parker, only, for their respective teams, Kidd will be better in this series.

Anyway, I was wrong on the bench play, but that was because Tony Parker (18 points) came off the bench in favor of George Hill (0 points, as in nada, zilch, Nathaniel). Normally, I’d question that move, but it’s Pop so he gets a pass from me on coach decisions.

Oh, I gotta mention here that the athleticism of Timmy’s dunk in the third quarter was reminiscent of this Nike commercial:

GAME 1 RECAP

San Antonio started off hot in the first quarter with Manu Ginobilli hitting two in a row and assisting Antonio McDyess on another two to put the visitors up 8-3 at the 9:57 mark. But then the home team got it going on a dunk by Caron Butler and Nowitzki hitting back-to-back buckets to go ahead 11-8. The Mavs ended the first up 23-18.

Both teams managed 27 points for the second quarter. Ginobilli racked up nine points in the period and Dirk tallied 11, while Brendan Haywood netted seven of his 10 points for the game in the second. Dallas kept their offense within 18 feet, missing their only three ball of the period. San Antonio ventured for more outside shots with Manu nailing a 25-footer. The Spurs hit 7 of 12 from the field, while the Mavs only hit 6 of 15.

Timmy slammed home the go-ahead basket in the third but Nowitzki iced two free throws and Dallas kept the lead the rest of the way. Pop must have been in a giving mood because the Mavs had 11 points from the free throw line compared to only two for the visitors. Both teams connected on six shots but San Antonio needed 18 attempts versus 11 by Dallas to do so.

The Spurs only hit four sDirk Nowitzkihots in the final 12 minutes. I’m no expert, but you can’t expect to close a deficit or win a game in the NBA when you’re only hitting 4 of 11 shots from the field. San Antonio shot a respectable 50 percent from the field for the game compared to 47 percent FG percentage by Dallas, but the difference maker was free throws. D-Town hit 25 of 34 while SA hit 12 of 14. The Spurs were outrebounded 45-37 and had four fewer assists and two more turnovers than the victors.

If the Spurs want to rebound for the next game, they need to employ a way to stop the German and keep Kidd from facilitating. Someone needs to defibrillate Jefferson on the offensive end and Hill needs to be more aggressive taking it to the cup. Jason Terry was relatively quiet for Game 1, so look for him to step it up in Game 2, especially if the Spurs throw the kitchen sink at Dirk defensively.

Game 2 prediction: Mavs win by 8.

rabbitproof · 04-19-2010, 04:45 PM

9-tailed demon. My SIG.

vinylstar · 04-20-2010, 05:17 PM

Whenever I see Kidd play and note the number of minutes he averages...I don't want to say what comes to mind.

...I think it is possible he's taking steroids for recovery purposes. Not a rumor...just my suspicions.

If he's not, what he is doing is unprecedented.

Underdog · 04-20-2010, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinylstar

Whenever I see Kidd play and note the number of minutes he averages...I don't want to say what comes to mind.

...I think it is possible he's taking steroids for recovery purposes. Not a rumor...just my suspicions.

If he's not, what he is doing is unprecedented.

According to him: water, yoga & pilates.

Makes sense to me (it works for my girlfriend).

tcat075 · 04-20-2010, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

According to him: water, yoga & pilates.

Makes sense to me (it works for my girlfriend!)

And, of course, Mavalanche.

vinylstar · 04-20-2010, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

According to him: water, yoga & pilates.

Makes sense to me (it works for my girlfriend).

Is your girlfriend over 35 and play NBA basketball?

Underdog · 04-20-2010, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinylstar

Is your girlfriend over 35 and play NBA basketball?

She's 32 and a chick - that's about on par...

It's about hydration, limberness and muscle control. That's key to recovery.

Dirkadirkastan · 04-20-2010, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinylstar

Whenever I see Kidd play and note the number of minutes he averages...I don't want to say what comes to mind.

...I think it is possible he's taking steroids for recovery purposes. Not a rumor...just my suspicions.

If he's not, what he is doing is unprecedented.

shut ur mouth

vinylstar · 04-20-2010, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirkadirkastan

shut ur mouth

I'm not happy my thoughts go there. I assure you.

vinylstar · 04-20-2010, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

She's 32 and a chick - that's about on par...

It's about hydration, limberness and muscle control. That's key to recovery.

I'm really happy your girlfriend recovers quickly (honestly), but being 32 and a chick absolutely is not on par with playing in the nba...at any age. Seriously?

Underdog · 04-20-2010, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinylstar

I'm really happy your girlfriend recovers quickly (honestly), but being 32 and a chick absolutely is not on par with playing in the nba...at any age. Seriously?

She's recovering from a back injury sustained during a car wreck, did I forget to mention that?

Damn, I'm no good at editing posts on my phone, sorry...

GermanDunk · 04-20-2010, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinylstar

I'm really happy your girlfriend recovers quickly (honestly), but being 32 and a chick absolutely is not on par with playing in the nba...at any age. Seriously?

When you manage to get the vinyl out of your asshole, the niveau of your postings will soar.

sefant77 · 04-20-2010, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

According to him: water, yoga & pilates.

+

CadBane · 04-20-2010, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

She's 32 and a chick - that's about on par...

It's about hydration, limberness and muscle control. That's key to recovery.

Pics?

rabbitproof · 04-21-2010, 02:29 AM

Those are some horribly fake implants.

Zaknaf3in · 04-21-2010, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rabbitproof

Those are some horribly fake implants.

So true. Ouch.

aurelino9 · 04-21-2010, 11:54 AM

Kidd's recent GFs have been way hotter.

Kidd Karma · 04-21-2010, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aurelino9

Kidd's recent GFs have been way hotter.

Hahaha, NBA players biggest mistake is getting married. Every city, every stop, there will be a GF.

Budapest Maverick · 04-21-2010, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rabbitproof

Those are some horribly fake implants.

It's not her implants, it's the low body fat. Low body fat + implants, not a great combo. Awesome article, rep points are flying to the op's way.

sike · 04-21-2010, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

Makes sense to me (it works for my girlfriend).

Is she a 37 year old point guard?

Underdog · 04-21-2010, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sike

Is she a 37 year old point guard?

Yes.

aurelino9 · 04-21-2010, 01:00 PM

Back to the point, last night they showed a list of active players with most minutes played and Shaq is #1 and Kidd #2 and the difference is less than 200 minutes between them. Kobe is in the top 5 as well.

sike · 04-21-2010, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

Yes.

I knew it! You're dating Jason Kidd!!

Underdog · 04-21-2010, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sike

I knew it! You're dating Jason Kidd!!

Actually, I'm dating Kevin Ollie...

(but good guess!)

ItGetzReal · 04-21-2010, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinylstar

Whenever I see Kidd play and note the number of minutes he averages...I don't want to say what comes to mind.

...I think it is possible he's taking steroids for recovery purposes. Not a rumor...just my suspicions.

If he's not, what he is doing is unprecedented.

Well please don't bust him til we get a ring lol! I don't know , but I read a few articles about older players like nash and grant hill eating a no sugar ,vegan diet. Wich somehow boost energy levels and focus because the body is breaking down more natural foods. Now if he was dunking and bursting for amazing speed , then I would say hes roided.