The Dallas Mavericks have lost 50 games for only the second time since 2000, and Jason Kidd thinks that number is a good reflection of where the team is.
For only the second time since 1999 and only the 11th time in franchise history, the Dallas Mavericks have lost 50 games in a single season.
Heading into the Wednesday night matchup against the Denver Nuggets, where they would lose 142-135, the Mavericks weren't really expecting to snap their losing streak and seemed content with their fate.
"You can't stop him," said Jason Kidd of Nikola Jokic, who finished with a triple-double. "You're not going to stop him. You just try to give him different looks."
For context, the Mavericks have won 50 games 16 times. Of course, there is reason to believe that there are greener pastures ahead, but for now, the franchise just seems defeated.
Jason Kidd Embraces Dallas Mavericks Truth
So many times, coaches and players will say "the game was closer than the final score" or "we're better than our record says."
For Kidd, that's a load of B.S. He looks around his locker room, and he sees a team that lost 50 games.
"I think when you look at the record, you know, sometimes the record isn't the truth, but it is," he said after the loss. "That's what our record is. And so, to have that many wins and that many losses, that's why you keep score. So, for us, we've been in a lot of close games, but unfortunately, just haven't won them. And so, there's something for us to learn from, and hopefully we can get better for the next time we play."
The Mavericks do lead the league in clutch games played, but are near the bottom in clutch games won. There's a key difference there.
Of course, when the Mavericks traded away Anthony Davis and shut down Kyrie Irving, there was really no reason for fans to believe. However, when Nico Harrison touted a winning core after the Luka Doncic trade, maybe some fans believed in the short-term vision, even if he squandered any chances for long-term success.
Only by winning the 2025 Draft lottery is there really any saving grace for the Mavericks moving forward, and even Kidd, one of the league's greatest competitors, sounds utterly deflated with each loss.
With nine games left, it's possible this year's Mavericks will post the sixth-worst record in franchise history.