Jason Kidd has had to deal with a few injuries early in the season, especially in the last week when Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić missed a game each.
New Orleans coach Willie Green should be so lucky.
One of his stars missing a game would be nothing more than a ripple in the ocean.
On Tuesday night, the Pelicans came to American Airlines Center with six of their top nine players, including franchise anchor Zion Williamson, on the sideline.
And Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado are out indefinitely with significant injuries.
C.J. McCollum and Jordan Hawkins also were out, but could return soon.
That sick bay makes the Mavericks’ situation look downright enviable.
But injuries have seemed to be more prevalent in the NBA early this season. Many teams are dealing with stars missing time.
And no matter how long key players are missing, it requires coaches to be creative and adaptable. The Mavericks can’t play the same way without Dončić or Irving as they do when they are on the floor.
“There’s always tweaking,” Kidd said. “And it all depends on who’s out. You talk about one of the stars being out or one of the (centers) being out, there’s got to be a change in the rotation, a change in sometimes the philosophy.
“If we’re not shooting straight, go to ‘80s basketball and try to play at the rim, make sure the ball touches the paint and make as many twos as we can. There’s always a change in tweaking. It all depends on who is in and who’s out.”
That’s why the Mavericks – and most elite teams – have players who are adept at starting or coming off the bench. Quentin Grimes, Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford and Maxi Kleber all have been effective as starters and in reserve roles.
For the Pelicans, who got blistered, who couldn’t keep pace with the healthier Mavericks on Tuesday, it’s a little different. Williamson is out with a hamstring strain until sometime in December, as is Murray after hand surgery. The point guard was the Pelicans’ major acquisition in the offseason for a package of players and two first-round picks (2025 and 2027). He has played one game.
The manpower shortage has left Green in a tough spot. So how does he handle it?
“It’s constant, watching film, adjusting lineups and trying to have an understanding of who’s going to be available,” he said. “But the biggest thing in all this is just going out every practice, shootaround, film session and preparing our team to be the best we can possibly be and give ourselves a chance to win those games.”
Coaches always preach that the next-man-up is the one who has the opportunity when injuries happen. But in New Orleans’ case, they are fast running out of men, much less next men.
As for Kidd’s situation, he’s just glad the Mavericks have the depth that they do, which gives them a better chance to handle injury situations, particularly when one of the star guards is missing.
“We’re built to play without either one of those guys,” Kidd said. “I think you can see that. As much as we don’t want them out, there are going to be times when they are out. I thought the group stepped up. In Utah we came up short, but I thought in the win in Oklahoma City, the energy was very high.”
Heartfelt reunion: Naji Marshall has often said how grateful he is that he got to spend his first four seasons in the NBA with the Pelicans. He values the guidance he got from Green and his coaching staff.
And the feeling is mutual.
“He’ doing a lot of what he was doing with us,” Green said. “But he’s grown in his confidence. He’s playing with a really good team . . . he’s the recipient of Luka and Kyrie, P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson at times, their gravity. His game has grown each and every season and it looks like he’s doing the same now.”
“We texted back and forth this summer and again when the season starting,” Green said. “Going back to my first time coaching him, starting in summer league, he’s always been an extremely tough kid. He can guard. He’s tough mentally, he’s got size, he plays with a chip on his shoulder.
“He’s high-character and is all about the right things, one of the guys who comes in the gym every day and comes back at night. I’m extremely happy for him, happy for his success and want to see him continue to do well.”
Green quickly added: “Obviously not tonight, but any other night they don’t play us. He’s going to help any team that he’s a part of. You can see his production when he steps on the floor. He’s going to make a big difference on this team.”
Marshall will make his first appearance back in New Orleans with the Mavericks on Jan. 15. The Mavericks also visit the Pelicans on Jan. 29.
Sticking up for Luka: Not that Dončić needs anybody to come to his defense, but Kidd was more than happy to do so before Tuesday’s game.
Dončić was averaging 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game coming into Tuesday. But observers have pointed to his 32.1 percent three-point shooting as a shortcoming.
“He has shown that he’s human,” Kidd said. “I think some of us had forgotten that he’s human.
“The way he’s playing, he’s 28-8-8 – you sign up for that all day long. He’s missed some shots, that happens. It’s only 14 games into this. There are going to be misses and there’s going to be makes. But he’s one of the best players in the world and we’re lucky to have him.”
X: @ESefko
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