CHICAGO — The Mavericks entered their road game against the Bulls knowing they would be without Anthony Davis, but playing without their head coach wasn’t exactly on the bingo card.
Jason Kidd was ejected in the first quarter of Saturday’s game for expressing frustration with the inability to challenge a goaltending call, forcing associate head coach Frank Vogel to step into a familiar role.
With Vogel as the standing head coach, the Mavericks suffered a 125-107 loss to the Bulls, concluding their three-game road trip with a 1-2 finish.
Mavericks
Kidd attempted to call a timeout to issue a coach’s challenge for a goaltending call that went against Mavericks guard Max Christie. The fourth-year guard blocked a layup attempt by Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu just before the ball touched the backboard, but Chicago was allowed to inbound the ball before Kidd’s intended challenge.
“We were trying to challenge a play,” Vogel said of Kidd’s ejection. “They inbounded the ball before we could. We thought we had the right to challenge. He and Scott (Foster) got into it. That led to the ejection.”
The Mavericks (14-25) entered the game severely shorthanded without Davis, who will miss an indefinite amount of time because of ligament damage in his left hand. They were also without P.J. Washington and Brandon Williams, who did not play because of a right leg sprain and illness, respectively. With Kidd ejected, they lacked their lead voice.
After the game, a pool report interview with crew chief Scott Foster revealed Kidd was ejected for using profanity toward an official on two separate occasions and was given a technical foul for each occasion.
Kidd’s ejection was an unexpected loss, but the Mavericks had an experienced leader for the remainder of the game. Vogel brings 12 years of head coaching experience to the table, with defense as his specialty, but the Mavericks simply couldn’t get the stops needed to hold off the Bulls. Vogel is only two seasons removed from his last head coaching stop in Phoenix during the 2023-24 season and said it felt comfortable.
“Like riding a bike,” Vogel said. “Trying to get our guys charged up. Made some runs, but ultimately not enough so it’s disappointing.”
Chicago had seven players reach double scoring figures and nine of the 13 Bulls players that appeared in the game scored. The Mavericks had difficulty containing two of the Bulls point guards. Coby White led the Bulls with 22 points, while Ayo Dosunmu added 20 points off the bench.
The Bulls didn’t have difficulty scoring, shooting 51.5% from the field. They were notably successful in transition with 38 fast break points, but the same couldn’t be said for the Mavericks, who had just eight points on the break.
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd looks on before being ejected during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Paul Beaty / AP
With Dallas lacking several pivotal rotation players, there was a natural expectation for Cooper Flagg to fill the offensive void left by Davis and the others, but the rookie finished with 11 points on just 4-of-13 shooting with five turnovers.
The Mavericks were led on offense by two-way guard Ryan Nembhard, who was re-inserted into the starting lineup and finished with 16 points and six assists. Max Christie and Klay Thompson added 10 points each.
Those who often don’t get the chance to play received opportunities on Saturday. D’Angelo Russell, who was coming off five consecutive games without playing despite being active, clocked nearly 19 minutes and finished with eight points. Jaden Hardy also played 12 minutes and totaled 14 points.
Two-ways Moussa Cisse and Miles Kelly also returned from their stint in the G League with the Texas Legends. Kelly had a career-high five points and three rebounds in his first game since Nov. 12. Cisse grabbed 10 rebounds, blocked three shots and scored five points. He described playing without Kidd after the game.
“That changed a lot,” Cisse said. “This is my first time playing without a head coach. It changed a lot, but we don’t control that. We just have to do our jobs and play our best basketball.”
It’s difficult for the Mavericks to play their best basketball without Davis, who was decked out in a Green Bay Packers hoodie and beanie during the game. The Chicago native is a passionate Packers fan and hoped for two wins, but his favorite football team suffered a 31-27 loss to the Bears in Saturday’s NFC Wild Card playoff game.
The Mavericks will return to Dallas for a four-game homestand starting with Monday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. They could benefit from reinforcements. Kidd will be back on the sidelines, with the support of Vogel, but it’s uncertain if Washington or Williams will be back in the lineup.
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