Kidd fined for soda spilling to stop game

TOKYO - Agence France-Presse

Brooklyn Nets coach Jason Kidd was hit with a $50,000 fine by the NBA for spilling a cup of soda on the court to delay the game against the Lakers. AP photo

Brooklyn Nets coach Jason Kidd was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Nov. 28 for deliberately spilling a cup of soda on the court as a delaying tactic to halt a game.

The move came in the last seconds of a 99-94 home loss on Nov. 27 to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kidd denied that the spill was intentional but television replays show Kidd saying “Hit me” to Tyshawn Taylor as the Nets guard was walking toward him with 8.3 seconds remaining and Brooklyn out of timeouts.

Taylor bumped his coach and Kidd spilled the drink on the floor. Intentional or not, the delay worked to Brooklyn’s benefit by giving Kidd time to draw up a final play in hopes of scoring. It did not work and the Nets lost.

Kidd was holding a cup of soda at the side of the court while Lakers guard Jodie Meeks was at the free throw line. After Meeks made their first shot to give the Lakers a 96-94 edge, Taylor walked toward Kidd and collided with his coach, who spilled the drink onto the court. “Cup slipped out of my hand while I was getting Ty,” Kidd said. “Sweaty palms.” 

“I was never good with the ball,” deadpanned Kidd, the NBA’s number two all-time steals and assist leader before retiring this year and taking the Nets coaching job. “In the heat of the battle, you’re trying to get guys in and out of the game and the cup fell out of my hand.” 

Game plan 

While arena workers cleaned the slick mess to make the surface safe for play, the Nets staff sorted out their next strategy, although not without two Laker players trying to sneak into the huddle to hear the plan.

Meeks made his second free throw after the delay, then Brooklyn’s Paul Pierce missed a potential equalizing 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining on the way to defeat. Despite the video replays showing Kidd clearly mouthing his instructions, Taylor also denied that it was a deliberate nature of the delay tactic.

“I wasn’t paying attention. I just kind of bumped him,” he said. “It could ice a free throw shooter and be a timeout when you don’t have one, but that wasn’t the thought process. I was just coming out, and he was in my way.”