Due to illness, Mavs’ Jason Kidd will not coach the team’s in-season tournament matchup against the Nuggets.

The 2023–24 The NBA In-Season Tournament begins on Friday night, but before the Dallas Mavericks take on the reigning champion Denver Nuggets in a pivotal game, their head coach is expected to be absent.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Kidd did not travel to Denver and will miss Friday’s game due to a non-COVID illness. Stein noted that Sean Sweeney, Kidd’s assistant, is anticipated to fill in.

In Kidd’s third season as the starting bench coach, the Mavericks are off to a fast start.

Obviously, the team’s best player has been Luka Dončić, who averages 33.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game while shooting 42.2 percent from beyond the arc and 51.1 percent from the field.

Tim Hardaway Jr. is one player who has made an early impression. He is averaging 20.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 43.2 percent from beyond the arc and 45.0 percent from the field.

Although Hardaway has never finished a season with an average of 20 points, it is obvious that he will be crucial to the team’s success all year long.

The Mavs have also benefited from the signing and trade of Grant Williams with the Boston Celtics. The 24-year-old is shooting 54.3 percent from the field and 55.2 percent from beyond the arc, averaging 15.5 points and 5.0 rebounds.