Jason Kidd on facing Steve Kerr as a player ahead of Warriors-Mavs Game 1: 'He had Michael Jordan'
Warriors coach Steve Kerr and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd are set to square off in Game 1
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors are set to face off in the Western Conference Finals, and both teams are led by former NBA players turned coaches.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has known Mavericks coach Jason Kidd for a while as they competed as players during their NBA careers.
Ahead of the playoff series, Kidd and Kerr spoke about their time playing against each other in the league before coaching. Kerr won five NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs as a player, while Kidd won one with the Mavericks in the twilight of his nearly two-decade-long career as a guard.
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DALLAS, TX - NOVEMBER 29: Jason Kidd #5 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball against Steve Kerr #25 of the Chicago Bulls on November 29, 1996, at the Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
"I didn't guard him, thankfully," Kerr told reporters Tuesday. "The biggest thing I remember about Jason was just the overwhelming speed and force that he played with. In transition, even after made baskets, he'd come barreling down. You didn't really see how strong he was until you played against him."
"On TV maybe you couldn't see it as much, but when the game started, you felt his force," the coach added. "And he was obviously a brilliant passer. Just played with this wonderful pace and energy and made the game easier for his teammates. Just a brilliant player."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kidd was later asked about Kerr's comments and if he remembered facing the Warriors coach as a player.
MAVERICKS' JASON KIDD GETS LAST LAUGH, TAKES SHOT AT CRITICS AFTER ELIMINATING SUNS
"Yeah, I remember facing Steve. He had Michael Jordan," Kidd responded while drawing laughs from those in attendance.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, left, talks with Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
"Steve always made the big shots. Steve was a great competitor, [and] a great NBA player," the Mavericks coach added. "He doesn't get his just due. He played his role at a high level, and he won. He's a winner and that's what makes Steve special."
Kerr spent 15 seasons in the NBA, where he was known as a role player who made clutch shots in key moments. He averaged six points per game but shot an incredible 45.4% from behind the arc during his NBA playing career. Kerr became the head coach of the Warriors in 2014 and has won three NBA titles with Golden State.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr signals to players during the first quarter of the team's NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)
Kidd totaled 17,529 points and 12,091 assists during his 19 seasons in the NBA. He led the Nets to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He later served as head coach of the Nets and Milwaukee Bucks before serving as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was hired as head coach of the Mavericks in 2021.
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals kicks off tonight at 9 p.m. ET.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Mavericks are led by Luka Doncic, while the Warriors are led by the duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.