Grading Jason Kidd in his first season as Dallas Mavericks head coach

Grading 2021-2022 season for Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd: Offense

The Mavs offense took a step backward under head coach Jason Kidd. During Rick Carlisle’s final season, Dallas finished eighth in offensive rating at 114.6, and they dropped to 112.5 this year to land 14th in the league, but those numbers may not tell the entire story.

From Jan. 1 to the end of the regular season, the Mavericks produced a 114.9 offensive rating, which was 11th best in the league. Luka Doncic did not enter the season in the best shape of his life, and the team struggled through a significant COVID outbreak that had multiple players on the shelf for three weeks straight starting in December.

The Mavs also just needed time to adjust to coach Kidd’s scheme. They played less five out on offense, and the Hall of Fame point guard empowered his players to do things outside their comfort zone. Coach Carlisle wanted players to maximize their effectiveness by doing the one thing they were best at, but Kidd helped players expand their games.

Grade for Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd’s offense in 2021-2022 season: B-minus

Allowing the players to grow paid off in the postseason as teams tried to take away the thing they did best, but the Mavs took a small step backward offensively. Kidd still earned a solid B-minus rating as things improved down the stretch and into the postseason.