Mavs Donuts: Kidd Tells DB.com, 'We Took A Character Test -- And We Passed It!'

   Jason Kidd made a commitment.

   The Mavs star had just returned home from a grueling (but successful) road trip. He’d gotten little sleep and apparently didn’t quite get around to shaving. But he’d made a charity-related commitment to “Furniture 4 Kids ROCKS ON!’’ and to the Dallas Mavericks Foundation.

   So there he was Tuesday night, shaking hands, kissing babies, raising money and talking Mavs with DallasBasketball.com.

   “That road trip was a gut check,’’ Kidd told me. “It was a character test, those last three games.

“And we passed the test.’’

   We’ll start there – with some one-on-one time with Jason Kidd – as we bring you Wednesday Morning Mavs Donuts:

   DONUT 1: The party was staged at the OFS Brands Showroom/International on Turtle Creek Design Center, all proceeds from which benefit the Dallas Mavericks Foundation, whose mission is to assist young people through programs stressing education, good health and skills necessary for their future success.

  Kidd donated his time to the cause and as tired as he might’ve been, was very upbeat.

“Winning will do that to you,’’ Kidd laughed, reflecting on Dallas’ 8-3 start.

  DONUT 2: “What we did in Minnesota, then Detroit, then on the second night of a back-to-back in Milwaukee, that is pretty special,’’ Kidd said of the Mavs’ three-game road win streak. For one thing, we played defense. For another thing, when we had a lull – like in the Milwaukee game, when we were up 18 and they pulled all their starters (in the third quarter) … we kind of figured they were giving up. … so we let up – but when we had a lull, we fixed it. We responded.

   “That’s not always how it works in this league. It’s human nature. You’ve won a couple of games, you’re on the road, suddenly the other team comes back – and Milwaukee is legitimately a pretty good team – you can tend to fold it up there. We didn’t fold. We didn’t give in.

        “That road trip was a gut check,’’ Kidd added. “It was a character test, those last three games.

“And we passed the test.’’

   DONUT 3: Thanks to event sponsors OFS Brands and G.L. Seaman & Company as well as Absolut Vodka, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Ben E. Keith, Lite Dallas, Lone Star Valet and Spice of Life Catering for generously supporting Furniture 4 Kids and the Dallas Mavericks Foundation. … and thanks to all of them for letting DallasBasketball.com sneak in the back door of a fancy party.

    Want more from Kidd? I’ve got it – specifically on the subject of rookie Roddy Beaubois vs. J.J. Barea and what Kidd thinks of the Plus/Minus system to evaluate them – coming up this week.

    In fact, later today, I’ll roll out Part 1 of “The +/-‘s of Beaubois Vs. Barea’’ … and after that, Kidd will help me crunch those numbers. 

  DONUT 4: If it was completely up to Jason Witten, football would be played in a vacuum. There would be no stories on how players wear their hats, or on which teammate is dating which starlet, or whether the locker room is a more mentally and emotionally stable place after the banishment to Buffalo of a certain troubling component of that locker room. The Cowboys All-Pro tight end discusses all this and much more exclusively in my latest column at Blogging The Boys. ... it’s FISH on FOOTBALL. … go get it!

  DONUT 5: Here’s an email from a brand-new DB.com reader that makes my day:

   “Mr. Fisher, it was Saturday morning, I believe, and I heard you on 103.3 ESPN doing some sort of ‘Mavs Magazine’ show, a review and preview of all things Mavs. Not that I'm surprised, you understand, because I remember you from your days doing daily talk radio, but wow! You sounded fantastic. If there was anything on the regular sports dial in Dallas nearly as compelling as what you did in that hour, the button in my car would not be permanently affixed to Sirius/XM.

   In fact, I’ve just added a button for 103.3 ESPN!’’

   Let this be a lesson to you: If you ant FISH on the radio, if you want Mavs on the radio. …You get 103.3 ESPN Radio’s “Mavs Magazine’’! We’ll do it every Saturday through the NBA season, from 10-to-11 a.m., on the Mavs flagship station, 103.3 ESPN Radio! … it’s the official Mavs radio show, full of Mavs guests – players, media, coaches, you name it!

    Oh, and thanks, too, for the response to my work on the Mavs pregame and postgame shows with hosts Ben & Skin. That’s going to continue to be a regular deal, so. … most game nights and every Saturday, we serve you Fish on 103.3 ESPN Radio!

  DONUT 6: My friend Michael B. makes a point about Dirk Nowitzki that the haters will never get: He is substantially better player than he was when he started making All-Star rosters; he’s got substantially more confidence than he did then (remember when he used to defer on the big shot to Fin or Nash?). Additionally, he is now a better player than he was when he won the MVP. … he developed as a distributor that year, and now it’s taken for granted that he passes out of double-teams and that he sees the floor so well while looking over everyone else. He is a substantially more active defender. And he carries his team as much or more than any superstar on a contending team in the NBA.

Shame on those who still characterize this rare, rare talent as “a 7-footer who shoots 3’s.’’ Y’all are missing a good game.

   DONUT 7: Tim Thomas (knee) is planning to give it a go tonight against the Spurs (8:30 tip at the AAC) in what would be his season debut with his new team. Shawn Marion (ankle) is listed as day-to-day, could go tonight, but insiders say he won't miss more than two games. And apparently, Erick Dampier will not be available tonight. He’s continuing to visit with doctors after “feeling light-headed’’ (I’ve been told) in pregame warm-ups Sunday in Detroit. Sefko says “serious health’’ issues have been ruled out, but …

  What is it?

    The mind reels at the possibilities (which is one reason I think the Mavs would be wise to address this at the earliest possible moment; wild speculation is about to bubble over). The best theory I’ve got? It’s a HIPAA thing. Nothing serious, but also nothing that can be fully discussed until paperwork is done, I’s are dotted, etc.

   DONUT 8: I am on record as saying that the Mavs should be too good to be overly-reliant on a raw rookie who barely speaks English. Maybe things will change in the coming weeks. … maybe opponents will better-scout Roddy Beaubois and figure him out … or maybe he’ll become less raw and learn better English!

   So how about this: The Mavs don’t “over-rely’’ on French Cuffs; they just rely on him a little bit, to be Josh Howard’s replacement at the 2, to gradually usurp JJB as the third guard, to be nothing more than the fifth most relied-upon Mav on the floor at a given time?

   If he’s the fifth-most relied-upon Mav on the floor at a given time, that’s not over-relying, is it?

   DONUT 9: When I mention Roddy, I mention Josh Howard, and there is a reason. I think their futures here are intertwined. If Roddy proves he can handle the 2 … can that mean J-Ho moves back to being a 3? Does it mean he comes off the bench there behind Marion? Does it mean Marion moves over and plays some 4, where he is historically at his best?

    Or would the rapid maturation of Roddy Beaubois make the oft-injured Josh Howard expendable?

    The Mavs hate the notion of giving up on J-Ho … and as always, are especially resistant to do so if they are getting 60 cents on the dollar in a trade.

    But at some point, we may see a confluence of issues … Roddy’s readiness, Josh’s unsteadiness … and this organization – which has very much treated Josh like a valued and sensitive member of the family -- just might have a huge decision to make.

   DONUT 10: Having said all that. … Art Garcia checks in with Josh and gets this answer regarding rehab:

     "I’m working hard. I’m doing the things I need to do to get back. I’ll be back sooner rather than later."

  DONUT 11: Eddie Sefko has a breakdown of what he terms “the lob pass from point guard Jason Kidd to Rodrigue Beaubois (which) has become a useful tool for the Mavericks.’’ 

    Around here, what we do is give stuff nicknames.

    And so, the “Roddy-Oop’’ it is.

  DONUT 12: His name is Dakota Simms. He’s got game. He’s a prospect. He’s on CNN. We’ve got the video.

   He’s a 9-year-old.

  DONUT 13: And while we’re all in a charitable and giving mood. … Jason Terry's third-annual Coat Drive will have its collection night at the AAC for tonight’s game against the Spurs.

   From 7 p.m. until the end of the first quarter (remember, it’s an 8:30 tipoff), you can contribute used or new coats, jackets, sweaters, etc, outside of Sections 109 and 122.

   All fans making a donation receive a $5 Dave & Buster's card and a buy-one/get-one voucher to select Mavs games. Additionally, Reebok will match every coat collected by donating pairs of shoes.

   You can also donate cold-weather outerwear at all D & B locations until Nov. 30. At the conclusion of the Coat Drive, Terry will deliver the coats to a local homeless shelter.