Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd presumably tried to play mental gymnastics with the Boston Celtics to gain an edge during the NBA Finals in June, but it didn’t work as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown prevailed in five games.

Unprompted and unwarranted, Kidd referred to Brown as Boston’s “best player” after Dallas dropped the series opener. Speculation took over and redirected the focus from how poorly the Mavericks played to whether or not Kidd’s comments would create a divide between Tatum and Brown as the All-Star duo competed, both with a chance at Finals MVP. Over two months after Kidd dropped the eyebrow-raising comment, the 51-year-old re-addressed and doubled down on the stance while clearing up the intended purpose.

“He was playing the best, I think, at the time,” Kidd said, per NBC Sports Bay Area. “Some took it as I was trying to start something, but he had just won the Eastern Conference MVP and then he actually ended up winning the MVP in the Finals. I don’t know if I was wrong but as we know, media can sometimes take it as I was trying to start something between Jayson and Jaylen, but it wasn’t that. I was just making the comment that Jaylen was playing at a high level, (Jrue) Holiday agreed.”

Brown ended up averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and five assists while shooting 44% from the field en route to being named Finals MVP. The award victory generated plenty of fodder for the post-series discourse, however, it didn’t end the league-wide scrutiny thrown Brown and Tatum’s way — which could play to Boston’s advantage once the 2024-25 season kicks off and the All-Star duo hunts Banner 19.

Tatum signed a record-setting $315 million supermax extension with the Celtics, but got snubbed and disrespected — through two DNPs — by USA Basketball during its gold medal run in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Brown, who last summer signed the previous highest-paid contract at $285 million, wasn’t even recruited by Team USA head coach Steve Kerr and the rest of the staff once Kawhi Leonard withdrew from participating.

Once the regular season tips off in October, Tatum and Brown will get their chance to respond after the team raises its 18th title banner at TD Garden on Oct. 22.