The Dallas Mavericks proved that they can indeed learn from their mistakes. Just a couple of nights ago Dallas threw away a seven-point lead against the Pacers and fell short 135-131. However, they learned their lesson and snapped a five-game home losing streak against the Pistons on Friday. The Mavericks continue to deal with injuries and this was a massive victory for the team in a heated play-in race. PJ Washington and Spencer Dwinddie were the heroes for the Mavericks on the night.
Washington dropped 27 points with four massive blocks. Meanwhile, Dwinddie took up a notch scoring 31 points and dished 7 assists. “I thought P.J. was really, really good. He had a spell there where he had a couple of turnovers, but it made a big three.” Said Mavs HC Jason Kidd, complementing Washington’s performance. Well, they’ll need more such performances from not just the Mavs big man but from the whole team. That’s because they are still floating outside of the precious 10th spot, which will give them a place in the play-in. Dallas currently is the 11th seed in the Western Conference boasting a 34-37 record.
They are just behind the Suns, who are the 10th seed with the exact same 34-37 record. PJ Washington acknowledged that they are keeping tabs on the Suns and the Kings as well. “All the time. I mean, that’s all we can really pay attention to right now. But with that being said, we can only take it one game at a time.” Washington said after a much-needed win. He understood that every game from now is a must-win for the Mavericks and that they cannot afford any slip-ups at this stage. “So, we can’t overlook anybody, obviously, right now. And we got to go out there and fight every second of every game.” He added. With just a handful of games remaining Dallas needs to make the most of it!
Jan 29, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25), guard Kyrie Irving (11), and forward Naji Marshall (13) react after a basket by Irving during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images.
They are just behind an inconsistent Suns team and a Domantas Sabonis-less Sacramento team that also doesn’t look very comfortable. However, the Mavericks have their fair share of trouble being hard-hit with injuries. They are already without Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving two of their biggest stars. Moreover, they missing two of their most prominent big men– Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford. Without this duo Dallas is nowhere near the defensive threat they are well-known for. Needless to say, they need their firepower back to have the upper hand in this playoff push. Well, they might just have received a massive update in that regard.
Dallas Mavericks drop a massive update on Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford
The Dallas Mavericks have been handicapped with several injuries since the start of the year. To even say they’ve been hard-hit seems like an understatement. Moreover, to no one’s surprise these injuries have seen them stuck in a downward spiral. With the clock ticking and their playoff aspirations on the line, they’ve finally received some positive news regarding two of their centers. Yes, just after the news of Anthony Davis getting back to court, more good news has arrived for Dallas.
Dereck Lively II suffered an unfortunate stress fracture in his ankle in January. An injury that the Mavericks thought wasn’t that huge turned out to be much worse than expected. Lively II has been a solid player for the franchise even though he’s only played 32 games this season. The 21-year-old was averaging 9.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and shooting an impressive 70.1 percent from the field before his injury. He’s back in training and has been assigned to the Legends for some 3-on-3 workouts as reported by journalist, Marc Stein. Well, Dereck Lively II is not alone, he is joined by another big man, Daniel Gafford.
Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford have also been assigned to the Legends for today’s practice, but they are expected to start with 3-on-3 work with the team’s G League affiliate while Davis participates in 5-on-5.
More NBA from me: https://t.co/IIIlAloJCf + @DLLS_Sports https://t.co/fiVK3lybOw
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 21, 2025
The 26-year-old big man sprained his MCL against Sacramento before the All-Star break. He’s also resuming training 3-on-3 training along with Lively II. This is just great news! Gafford was also amidst a solid campaign averaging 12.3 points and 6.9 rebounds before suffering a heartbreaking injury. With just 12 games to play in the regular-season if the two are fit once again, this could massively boost Dallas’ play-in push and who knows they might pick up the pace in the knockouts. It will be interesting to see how things develop in Dallas as they enter a crucial final stretch of games.
The post PJ Washington Clears Stance on Mavs’ Playoff Push as Daniel Gafford & Derreck Lively II’s Injury Updates Surface appeared first on EssentiallySports.