Jason Kidd shows why Mavericks fans shouldn't panic yet amid Finals

Jake Ferraro

Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd / Joshua Gateley/GettyImages

Even with cutting the deficit to eight in the third quarter, the Dallas Mavericks couldn't prevail in Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals to the Celtics losing 107-89. Most people are ready to write off the Mavs' chances to win the Finals.

Despite the Game 1 loss, head coach Jason Kidd isn't ready to panic. In the Kidd era, losing Game 1 and responding is a position Mavs fans are used to.

Dallas lost in Game 1 to both the Oklahoma City Thunder and LA Clippers, and this series against the Boston Celtics is nothing new.

Jason Kidd shows why Mavericks fans shouldn't panic yet amid Finals

"It's one game," Kidd said yesterday. "We've lost Game 1 a lot of times and we've responded."

"There's no panic with this group... we've lost Game One a lot of times and we've responded."

Jason Kidd is confident that the Mavericks can bounce back in Game 2 of the NBA Finals🗣

(via @danield1214) pic.twitter.com/lWjKs2S5EP
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 8, 2024

Believe it or not, the Mavs are now 1-6 in Game 1s with Kidd as head coach. Game 1 of the Finals was Dallas' third Game 1 loss in the 2024 Playoffs. However, this is something Kidd and the Mavs are used to and will be ready to even the series.

Against the Clippers in the first round and Thunder in the second round, the Mavs lost the opening game each by double digits. The Mavs responded by winning Game 2 of the series on the road both times and will have to do it again.

"There's no panic with this group," Kidd said.

Another reason not to panic for the Mavs is they are 5-0 this year in the Playoffs following a loss. The most recent being the Game 5 win against the Timberwolves on the road in the Conference Finals in Minneapolis. The Game 5 win was by 21 points.

Kidd will need to get a better game from Kyrie Irving as he scored 12 points on 6-of-19 shooting from the field, including missing all five three-pointers.

Trailing 1-0 in the Finals to win a championship is something that Mavs fans and Kidd have seen before. In Game 1 of the 2011 Finals against the Heat, the Mavs lost 92-84 with most people expecting they would be finished. The Mavs responded in Game 2 with a fourth quarter comeback win. The first two games of the 2011 Finals were played in Miami.

Game 2 of the Finals is tonight at 7 p.m. CT. A Dallas win will even the series and force at least a fifth game.

Jake Ferraro

Jake Ferraro is a former contributor at The Smoking Cuban, where he wrote Dallas Mavericks content from March 2024 to April 2026, including coverage of the 2024 NBA Finals. Ferraro is the former SenShot Site Expert, where he covered the Ottawa Senators for 14 months from September 2024 to November 2025. Ferraro is also a former contributor at Jays Journal, where he wrote Toronto Blue Jays content during their 2025 season, including coverage of the 2025 World Series. Ferraro graduated with his bachelor's degree in sports media from Oklahoma State University in May 2024. Toronto Sun, Yahoo, Blue Man Hoop, and Canucks Daily are sites where Ferraro's name has been mentioned in articles. Locked on Senators and The Senstennial Podcast are Senator podcasts that Ferraro has appeared on as SenShot Site Expert.