Jason Kidd: Critics Jealous of His Longevity

Everyone, including even some Dallas Mavericks fans, likes to joke about Jason Kidd still playing at such an advanced age (38). We’re all just jealous, claims the seemingly immortal point guard. From the Star-Telegram: “In the first two rounds of the playoffs, Jason Kidd had to chase slower point guards named Andre Miller of the Portland Trail Blazers and Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers. That won’t be the case for the Dallas Mavericks’ playmaker in the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC point guard Russell Westbrook is one of the fastest players in the league from baseline-to-baseline. And that will more than keep Kidd — no spring chicken at age 38 — on his toes. ‘He puts a lot of pressure on the defense when he gets the rebound or he gets the outlet passes,’ Kidd said of the 22-year old Westbrook. ‘He puts a lot of pressure no matter if it’s one, two or three guys back on defense. He has the ability to get in the paint and make things happen. He’s right there with (Chicago’s Derrick) Rose in being able to get from one end to the other in two or three seconds.’ … As for having the chance to even be in position to defend the much younger Westbrook, Kidd has some choice words for those critics who already think he’s going to struggle in this series. ‘They might be right,’ Kidd said. ‘But the big thing is there might be a lot of jealousy that I’m still playing at 38.'”