Paul got better of Kidd in first career playoff series
Jason Kidd probably has an idea of how his first postseason as a player with Dallas went back in 2008 before being asked about it.
Then he heard it was against Chris Paul, followed by laughter.
“Must have not, it didn’t go good,” Kidd said with a smile.
For Kidd, no. For Paul, absolutely yes. In his first playoff appearance ever, Paul led New Orleans to a 4-1 series win over Kidd and the Mavericks.
“I remember everything about it,” Paul said.
Now the two are facing each other in the Western Conference semifinals with Kidd coaching the Mavericks and Paul playing point guard for the Phoenix Suns.
Paul recalls Dallas having extra incentive to finish the regular season with a win over New Orleans to set up an opening round matchup.
“If they won, they would get us in the playoffs,” Paul said. “And I remember them beating us and them being so excited to match up against us.”
Not only did Dallas win, 111-98, at home, Kidd posted his 100th career triple-double – 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Paul remembered that, too.
Just in his third season, Paul finished that game with 20 points, 10 assists and three boards, but was going to an immediate opportunity to face Kidd and Mavs again in his first NBA playoff series.
New Orleans earned a second seed while Dallas was seeded seventh.
Paul didn’t need extra fuel.
He was going to get first taste of the postseason, but to have an opportunity to go against Kidd and the team that wanted to face New Orleans in the playoffs certainly made it even more meaningful.
“It was a long time ago, but absolutely,” Paul said.
The then 22-year-old Paul proceeded to average 24.6 points, 12 assists and 5.6 rebounds for New Orleans, which at the time were the Hornets, while the 34year-old Kidd averaged 8.6 points, 6.8 assists and 6.4 rebounds.
“We were at two totally different points in our careers,” Paul said. “I think that’s what I appreciate most about J. I’ve always appreciated guys who were able to change the way they play.”
New Orleans advanced to the conference semifinals to face the defending NBA champion Spurs. The Hornets took a 2-0 lead, but they lost the series to third-seeded San Antonio in seven.
Later that summer, Paul and Kidd played on the 2008 ‘Redeem Team’ that won Olympic gold for Team USA.
Three years later, Kidd, in his 17th NBA season, finally won an NBA title with the Mavericks in 2011.
“He was playing with Dirk (Nowitzki),” Paul said. “That’s when J-Kidd used to shoot all 3s. He’s been a consummate pro and somebody I looked up to for a long time.”
Now Kidd and Paul are crossing paths again with Paul, in his 17th NBA season, in pursuit of his first NBA championship.
“I don’t know now if a lot has changed, he’s just perfected the point guard position,” Kidd said when asked to compare Paul’s game back in 2008 to now. “As you get more reps and you see different defenses, you start to understand what you have to do and he knows how to move the pieces to get that advantage.”