Sometimes in the NBA you can be so good at something that you forget that there can be more than one right answer when attacking an opponent.
Mavericks’ coach Jason Kidd has known this for years. But getting the point across to players is not always an easy sell.
To wit, the Mavericks passed out 33 assists on Wednesday in the 119-99 victory over Chicago at American Airlines Center. That season best followed a 29-assist game against Indiana, which was the highest total in the first eight games before Wednesday.
The Mavericks played faster and the ball was whizzing around the court – and up and down the court in transition, which meant fewer half-court sets that gave defenders time to gear up for a stand.