On Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Toronto Raptors 136-125, ending their losing streak at two. Luka Doncic, celebrating his birthday, did his part with a triple-double of 30 points, 16 assists, and 11 rebounds. He also stole two bases on defense.
Other players also helped pull the team out of its slump. All-Star Kyrie Irving had a complete game with 29 points, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Tim Hardaway Jr. played a role off the bench, scoring 16 points on 40 percent shooting from the 3-point line. Daniel Gafford also had a solid game with 13 points and 7 rebounds.
The Mavericks have two-way player Dante Exum back. The Mavs role player was sidelined with bursitis in his right knee.
But one player who made a big impact Wednesday was forward P.J. Washington. Washington dropped 23 points, six rebounds and three blocks.
The biggest difference was his shooting. Washington knocked down 56.3 percent of its shots, 50 percent from behind the arc.
This is different than the last few games against Dallas. Washington knocked down 25 percent of the three-point shots he attempted in his first game with the team. After that, his long-range shot success rate was 0-33%. He wasn't a very good 3-point shooter, so some fans began to worry about his jumper.
As far as shooting in general, he struggled. Washington shot 16.7 percent from the field in two games. In Sunday's game against the Indiana Pacers, he was 1-6 overall and shot 0 percent from the 3-point line.
His numbers have dipped since being traded from the Charlotte Hornets. He played in 44 games for the Hornets this season, shooting 44.6 percent overall and 32.4 percent from behind the line. But in seven games against Dallas, he completed 44.8 percent of his attempts and 29.4 percent of his attempts downtown.
Washington was putting up solid numbers before being traded. In January, he shot 52.6 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from 3-point range.
The Dallas Mavericks currently rank in the top 10 in points per game and 3-pointers. As such, Mavs fans are hoping Washington can get back to hitting quality shots. Once a player like Washington gets into a rhythm, an offense centered around Doncic and Irving will be unstoppable.
Washington may be back on track after a slump in Dallas. Assuming that's the case, the NBA could be in for a terrible awakening. On Wednesday night, he looked more comfortable as a shooter and was letting his confidence fly.
Stay tuned for more news on PJ Washington and his impact on the Dallas Mavericks.
