Kidd's got a credit policy that works

I like Jason Kidd more than before now. Every bit of news written about the Mavs-Lakers playoff series has veritably ended with hurrahs about Jason Kidd shutting down Kobe Bryant down the stretch in all three games. But, Jason doesn’t want any credit for it at all. This is probably his last chance. With an impending lockout that would put the covers on the entire 2011-12 season and age (38 years) catching up, this is Kidd’s last shot at glory. With every passing minute of the series, I become more convinced that he believes it too and doesn’t want to squander the chance. All of 38 years, averaging around 9 points and 9 assists and most minutes behind Dirk Nowitzki. Jason isn’t setting the scoreboards on fire with his offensive skills. He’s instead doing it with his defensive skills against probably the most dangerous gunslinger in the West (and the NBA). Kobe’s points have dwindled from 36 to 23 to 17 in the crucial Game 3. Jason 3 – Kobe 0. Don’t get me wrong, Dirk is still the man of the da Mavericks house and Peja’s resurgence is great to watch. But it’s Kidd’s defensive skills in the closing minutes that are making the fans delirious. [caption id=“attachment_6236” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Jason Kidd (left) has dominated Kobe Bryant during the Mavs-Lakers match-up. Lucy Nicholson / Reuters”]  [/caption] Kidd, however, doesn’t want any credit for it at all. He’s still got the humble- it’s not me it’s my teammates response toward any comments about the steal from Game 1 or the Black Mamba going pointless in the last 4.5 minutes of Game 3. Yet, anyone who’s watched the games knows that Kidd’s not letting Bryant breathe. No room for a fadeaway, forcing a pass to the turning back of Gasol or cutting off passing lanes, Kidd’s doing it all. It’s being said, he asked to guard Bryant. To which Jason eloquently replied  – “and maybe being old, too, maybe I’m hard-headed and naïve enough to think I can slow him down”. Slow him down he sure has, and then some. This is the Kidd of yesteryear. Smart and very tenacious.  Too bad, he doesn’t want credit for it. This series is far from over, not till its Mavs 4. That Phil Jackson moment could well be around the corner. And Kobe being Kobe can perhaps single-handedly outgun the Mavs. But then again, if the Mavs are to going to progress to the West finals, it’ll have to be Kidd on Kobe in crunch time. Old legs and all, Kidd will have to do what he does best – play silencer to the best gunslinger in the West.