PJ Washington shines, Mavericks hold off Thunder

PJ Washington had a season-high 27 points and a career-high 17 rebounds to lead the visiting Dallas Mavericks to a 121-119 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

Kyrie Irving added 23 points as the Mavericks led for much of the game despite playing without Luka Doncic, who was out with a bruised right knee. It was the first game Doncic missed this season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander nearly helped the Thunder mount a late comeback, hitting a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left to pull Oklahoma City within three, forcing a jump ball with Irving and then winning the jump ball.

The Mavericks fouled Gilgeous-Alexander with less than five seconds left. Gilgeous-Alexander made the first free throw before intentionally missing the second. Luguentz Dort grabbed the offensive rebound, but his 3-pointer at the buzzer missed the target.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 36 points on 13-of-19 shooting.

Dallas has won back-to-back games. The Thunder had a three-game winning streak and finished a six-game homestand 4-2.

Washington quickly made its mark by making a turning point on the game’s first possession, grabbing the rebound at the other end and ultimately capping that possession with a three-pointer. In the first four minutes, Washington had 11 points and four rebounds.

He had 13 points and five rebounds by the end of the first quarter when the Mavericks led 39-34. The 39 points in the first quarter were the most Dallas has scored in a quarter since opening night, and the most points allowed for Oklahoma City in a quarter this season.

After trailing by 10 early in the third quarter, the Thunder went on a 10-2 run to close the gap.

Gilgeous-Alexander kicked things off in emphatic fashion, with a dunk off a feed from Jalen Williams on one end and then a block of Dereck Lively II’s dunk attempt on the other.

Gilgeous-Alexander added a layup down the stretch and found Dort for a three-pointer to cut the deficit to two.

But it took less than two minutes for the Mavericks to cut the lead to nine thanks to seven quick points from Irving plus a feed to Lively for another basket.

Williams finished the night with 27 points for Oklahoma City and Dort had 18.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said before the game that he was hopeful Doncic could return Tuesday against New Orleans.

–Field-level media