Quote board: Luka Doncic, Jaden Hardy, and Jason Kidd speak after defeating the Pelicans, 127-117

The Dallas Mavericks won at home Saturday night, beating up on the New Orleans Pelicans early, then holding them off late, winning 127-117. The still injured Mavericks have now won eight of their last nine and have to feel pretty good going into the second night of a back-to-back.

After the game, Jason Kidd, Luka Doncic, and Jaden Hardy talked to the media. Here’s what they had to say.

Luka Doncic

(On how aware of his stats he is before coming out of the game…)

“I mean, they are right there on the board, so I am very aware.”

(On if he wanted to make sure he got a triple-double tonight…)

“No, I mean I just want to get the win.”

(On if he is looking at the MVP competition…)

“Not really. I watch some NBA games, but I watch more Euroleague than NBA. But if it is a really good NBA game on TV, I will watch it.”

(On Jaden Hardy’s performance tonight…)

“It was amazing. He gave us the pace. It was just downhill all the time, they couldn’t stop him. He is a great player, and you can see it.”

(On the mood coming back for a win tonight after Thursday’s loss against Boston…)

“It is great. It always feels good when you get a win, but we have another one tomorrow to get ready for.”

Jaden Hardy

(On getting quality minutes in the game tonight…)

“It feels good. I feel like I am able to help the team by bringing energy. Me being a young guy, lifting everybody up and staying ready.”

(On getting to the basket and finishing…)

“That’s just me staying true to my work and hours I put in the gym, and sticking to it. Doing the same thing I do in my workouts. Not being scared of anybody, just hoopin’. I’ve been doing this my whole life.”

(On if he feels like he’s ready for more playing time…)

“I feel like I’m ready. I feel like I can help the team in a lot of ways. Defensively, I feel like I can help the team too. Me being able to shoot the ball and be on the play-make, and play off of Luka Dončić.”

(On the type of guard he considers himself to be…)

“I look at myself as a combo guard who can run the point if necessary. I feel like I am comfortable playing both positions.”

Jason Kidd

(On the play of Jaden Hardy...)

“[Hardy] was great. You look at the carryover from the Celtics game, what he did tonight was really, really good. We’ve just got to keep stacking that positivity and keep him on the floor, give him more minutes hopefully tomorrow.”

(On trusting the closing lineup to get the win...)

“I think it’s always good to see how people handle the situation. It’s easy to bring Timmy [Hardaway Jr.], Luka [Dončić] and those guys back in, but the team doesn’t grow. Having [Jaden] Hardy, Theo [Pinson] and those guys out there to execute getting the ball in and then being able to knock down free throws ... I think it is a great opportunity for those guys who don’t get to play a lot of minutes to feel a little pressure there.”

(On how much of Jaden Hardy’s game has grown since his arrival in Dallas...)

“Every part [of his game has grown]. He’s improved in every area. He’s worked extremely hard. He’s learning what it means to be a pro. You can see the product on the floor in the sense that he’s not scared. He’s a young man surrounded by a megastar, and he feels like he fits right in. That’s kind of cool.”

(On the quick start by Christian Wood...)

“[Wood] was great, he just got in foul trouble. Unfortunately, the game was called that way tonight. But I thought again, with the foul trouble, he stayed in the game. He was over there cheering his teammates on, and he was talking. I thought he was a positive - even when he wasn’t on the floor he was trying to help his teammates.”

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