PJ Washington is on business with career night as Mavs starts scary road trip

New Orleans – Dallas Mavericks were on the wrong end of a bad call in their last trip to Big Easy exactly two weeks ago.

That was not the case this time.

Dallas started their longest road trip this season on a positive note and succeeded by turning off a 137-136 win over New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

Mavericks built their biggest lead of the game with 10 points in the fourth quarter at a time when they needed to create separation against the scary and young pelicans. A 15-4 run over a two-minute span gave Dallas the pillow it needed Beat the pelicans down to the last second of the game.

After a failed effort in his first three-3-point attempt, PJ Washington drained four triple in the fourth quarter, including the second chance long-range shot, giving Dallas a 115-105 lead with seven minutes and 44 seconds left. Mavs -Star Guard Kyrie Irving was also open in the right corner when Washington Rose for his triple attempt and maintained his shooting bag well after watching the ball walk through the net. He nodded upside down as a sign of confirmation to congratulate his teammate.

Washington’s fourth triple was also timely when New Orleans climbed within five. However, his confidence in his teammates helped close the game. Washington had a career high eight assists that included extra passports to Quentin Grimes and Klay Thompson in the game’s diminishing minutes.

“I’m just trying to make the right game, whether I have a hot hand or not,” Washington said. “I trust these guys are doing shots. Of course, Klay and Q are one of the best shooting games on our team. Just finding these guys in whatever part of the game is good for us, and for me, just try to attack and be downhill every chance I get. “

Washington led Mavericks with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists. Irving added 25 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Four other players scored in double, which is usually a good sign for mavericks – especially without Luka Doncic. Quentin Grimes, Daniel Gafford and Klay Thompson combined to 59 points. Spencer Dinwiddie added 11 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists.

Zion Williamson was not available to play two weeks ago in Mavericks’ last trip to Smoothie King Center. Williamson was doing well and available Wednesday. He finished with 29 points and converted on 11-of-17 attempts.

It looked like Mavericks was heading for another close game as they held a 54-47 lead with just over four minutes left in the first half. A nightmare in the last three minutes of the second quarter moved the momentum back to New Orleans’ advantage. The pelicans went on 16-3 races due to Dallas’ fault of offense.

During this time, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum took advantage of an unanswered floats of Irving and led a transitional opportunity to find Trey Murphy III for a wind turbine course. Less than 10 seconds later, the McCollum played the game and threw another lob to Murphy to give the pelicans a six-point lead that went into half.

Maverick’s coach Jason Kidd said Ball Movement and getting downhill were weights during his pregame press conference because of the success his team had in these areas in Monday’s blowout victory over Washington Wizards. Dallas had 30 assists with 56 points in the paint. It was balanced by an effective brand from the 3-point line (20-of-43).

Dallas opened the second half by walking on a 19-8 race to regain control of the game. With the victory, Maverick’s control over the season series takes 2-1. The Pelicans visit the American Airlines Center on February 21 for the last game of the series.

It can easily be claimed that Mavericks should own a 3-0 lead over their Southwestern Division rivals.

An unanswered goal call on January 15 led to a third loss in a row for mavericks. Spencer Dinwiddie had an opportunity to give Mavericks a one-point lead with three seconds left at the last meeting, but his shot did not have a chance to go into the basket because Murphy blocked it off the back plate. In the next day’s last two-minute report, the NBA revealed that a violation of the goal should have been called on to Murphy to get in touch with the ball after it touched the back plate.

Washington and the rest of Mavericks made sure this game did not require any divided decision calls in the last seconds.

Washington agreed that there was some extra motivation in view of the circumstances at the last meeting of New Orleans. But he and the rest of the Mavericks made sure that this game did not require any divided decision calls in spite of a desperate 3-point conversion of McCollum with 0.2 seconds left.

“We felt we should have a win last time,” Washington said, “but we let the game get away from us and we wouldn’t allow it this time.”

X/Twitter: @Mikacurtis2

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