Jason Kidd details comments that pit Brown, Tatum against each other

When the Boston Celtics took on the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, head coach Jason Kidd made some comments that stirred up the masses. During a press conference, he called Jaylen Brown the best player on the Celtics, leading to a myriad of comments, talk show bits, and questions that pit him against Jayson Tatum.

"Well, Jaylen's their best player," Kidd said. "Just looking at what he does defensively, he picked up Luka [Dončić] full court, got to the free throw line, he did everything. That's what your best player does.”

Brown ended up winning Eastern Conference finals MVP and Finals MVP, and the Celtics didn’t let the words get to them. They took home Banner 18, beating the Mavs in five games.

Jason Kidd denies that he was trying to pit Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum against each other with 'best player' comment during NBA Finals

And Kidd recently stood his ground regarding his comments. (H/t Lauren Campbell of MassLive)

During a recent appearance on Dubs Talk: A Golden State Warriors Podcast, Kidd said that he was trying to pit Boston against each other. It was just what he believed at the time.

“He was playing the best, I think, at the time,” Kidd said. “Some took it as I was trying to start something, but he had just won the Eastern Conference MVP and then he actually ended up winning the MVP in the Finals. I don’t know if I was wrong. But as we know, media can sometimes take it as I was trying to start something between Jayson and Jaylen. But it wasn’t that.”

Kidd emphasized that he was simply praising Brown for the basketball he had been playing, even roping in Celtics guard Jrue Holiday.

“I was just making the comment that Jaylen was playing at a high level, [Jrue] Holiday agreed. It wasn’t that I was starting anything. But Jaylen was. Jaylen was playing his best basketball at the right time and I made that comment. Some took it as I was trying to start something. But I wasn’t.”

After Kidd’s comment, Holiday was asked about it, and he agreed, but his response was taken out of context. At his post-game press conference following his comments, Holiday took time to clarify that he was just giving Brown props and does not prefer one teammate over another.

Whether or not Kidd was trying to get in the Celtics’ head, he didn’t. But he did get in the head of the media. The same people who have attempted to pit Brown and Tatum against each other for years had a new reason to do so.

In spite of that, Boston brought home a championship, and regardless of the inevitable drama that will follow them (even though they are the least dramatic team in the NBA), they almost certainly plan to keep ignoring the noise.