The NBA fined Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd $35,000 for publicly criticizing officiating after Saturday's loss to the Houston Rockets.
Kidd's frustration stemmed from a possession late in the game, where Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg drove against Rockets guard Amen Thompson and fell to the floor after missing a contested layup.
"I saw a foul," Kidd said after the game. "[Officials] Sean [Wright], Simone [Jelks] and Jason [Goldenberg] were awful tonight. The referees were unacceptable. It's a foul, and he needs to be at the free-throw line. Now, does he make both? That's up to the player, but the referees did not do their job. They were terrible."
Jason Kidd felt the referees "weren't consistent" in the Dallas Mavericks' road loss against the Houston Rockets. He felt there should have been a review after a missed call on Cooper Flagg's late left-hand layup.Kidd: "We're fine. We're going to play. We're not complaining.…pic.twitter.com/mQMPNzckBS
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)February 1, 2026
Despite Flagg's 83 combined points against the Hornets and Rockets, which are the most by a rookie in a two-game span during the play-by-play era, it was not enough to help the Mavericks end their losing streak, which is now at four games.
Kidd also used profanities to address criticism aimed at him for playing Flagg at point guard earlier in the season.
Jason Kidd was asked by@RonKnowsSportsabout the national criticism for playing Cooper Flagg at point guard.Kidd: "Criticism? That's your opinion. You guys write that bullshit. That's not — I've done this. I've played this game. I played it. I know what the fuck I'm doing."I…pic.twitter.com/NovR3R0PTV
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth)February 1, 2026
"I don't give a f***about the criticism. Criticism? That's your opinion. You guys write that bulls***,"Kidd said. "That's not ... I've done this. I've played this game. I've played it at a very high level. I know what the f*** I'm doing.
With point guard Kyrie Irving out, Kidd experimented with playing Flagg in an ultra-big lineup just as he did with Giannis Antetokounmpo when he was the Milwaukee Bucks head coach. Flagg struggled at the start of the season.
Despite Flagg averaging 19.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists, and scoring a career-high 49 points on Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets, it has not translated to wins this season.
The Mavericks are 19-30 and 11th in the Western Conference. Some of that has to do with injuries to Irving and Anthony Davis, whom they acquired a year ago in the trade for Luka Dončić. If the playoffs started today, the Mavericks would miss the postseason for the second straight year after making the NBA Finals in 2024.
