PJ

Washington

Washington had a brutal Monday in Boston, as he missed all five of his 3-point attempts and finished with as many turnovers as points (four). It’s an unfortunate end to the season for him, as his arrival at the trade deadline was one reason why Dallas made a run to the NBA Finals. Washington began the season in Charlotte, and despite being in a position to start for the then-suspended Miles Bridges, his fantasy ADP remained relatively low (128.1). Sure enough, that’s how things played out, with being traded to Dallas only giving Washington’s fantasy value a modest boost. From February 14 through the end of the regular season, PJ was a 10th-round per-game player in 9-cat formats. The issue for Washington was percentages, as he shot 41.6% from the field and 63.8% from the foul line. Playing alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the hope was that Washington would be a more efficient player, but that didn’t happen. An entire training camp to strengthen the on-court chemistry should help Washington, but he’ll remain a late-round option in most leagues.

Washington had a good night from beyond the arc, shooting 3-of-6. However, he missed all three of his two-point attempts, and the 13 points weren’t enough to supplement the efforts of Kyrie Irving (35 points) and Luka Doncic (27). Washington has reached double figures in all three games of the NBA Finals, but it’s difficult for a third scorer to get into a groove when the two stars are as ball-dominant as Doncic and Irving. Dallas must win on Friday to avoid becoming the first team to be swept in the NBA Finals since Cleveland in 2018.

After scoring 14 points in Game 1, Washington was three points better in Game 2. However, his struggles from beyond the arc continue, as he was 1-of-5 on Sunday. Since making 3.8 3-pointers at a 46.9% clip during Dallas’ second-round series against Oklahoma City, Washington has gone 9-of-40 from beyond the arc. He’s 1-of-8 in the NBA Finals, and the Mavericks will need a more accurate Washington moving forward. Game 3 is on Wednesday night in Dallas.

Like many of his teammates, Washington struggled from deep in Game 1. The Mavericks forward was 0-of-3 from three, and the Mavericks shot 7-of-27 as a team. With Boston making 16 3-pointers, the 27-point margin was too significant for Dallas to overcome. Washington has reached double figures in six consecutive games, but Thursday ended a three-game streak of at least two 3-pointers. He and the Mavericks will look to rebound in Game 2 on Sunday night.

While he hasn’t figured prominently in the Mavericks’ rotation, Hardy’s minutes have increased in the Western Conference Finals. He’s played at least nine minutes in all four games, with Tuesday’s being his best. Hardy shot 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and reached double figures for the second time this postseason (Game 5 vs. LAC in the first round). Even with PJ Washington (10/5/2/0/1 with two 3-pointers in 42 minutes) struggling to knock down perimeter shots consistently, Hardy’s minutes are unlikely to increase in Game 5 on Thursday. He isn’t worth the risk in DFS tournaments.

Washington hasn’t been as prolific offensively as he was in the first four games of the Western Conference Semifinals, but he has remained a critical supplementary option. After missing all four of his 3-point attempts in Game 2, the former Hornet hit two in Game 3, including a crucial corner three with 3:38 remaining that gave Dallas the lead for good. Both of Dallas’ trade deadline additions have been huge for them, turning the team into a genuine title contender. Daniel Gafford added five points, three rebounds, one assist, and three blocks in 29 minutes. Dallas will look to close out Minnesota on Tuesday.

Scoring-wise, Game 6 was Washington’s worst of the series. However, more will remember the two free throws with 2.5 seconds remaining that clinched the game (and the series) for Dallas. Washington had a good series overall, scoring 21 points or more in Games 2 through 4 and recording three double-doubles. Next will be another difficult matchup, with the Mavericks facing the Nuggets or Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals.

Jones may not have offered much outside of the points and 3-pointers, but the scoring output was much-needed on a night in which only one other Maverick (Luka Doncic) scored more than 12 points. Airplane Mode was efficient with his scoring opportunities while also playing solid defense. PJ Washington only scored 10 points, but he was also responsible for 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in his 37 minutes on the floor. Dallas will need those two to remain productive in Game 6 on Saturday, with the Mavericks looking to close out the series.

OKC continues to prioritize limiting Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, which was a strategy that worked in this game, with the duo combining to shoot 10-of-31 from the floor. That has resulted in more opportunities for Washington, who has been the leading scorer for Dallas for three straight games now. He has averaged 5.7 triples per game during this stretch and has still made an impact on the defensive end. Washington will continue to play a pivotal role, but they’ll need more from Luka and Kyrie if they want to win this series.

Faced with defending Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Oklahoma City has not devoted as much attention to Washington. Given how well he’s played in the last two games, that could change for Game 4 on Monday. After hitting seven 3-pointers and scoring 29 points in Game 2, he made five more in Game 3 while leading the Mavericks in scoring. Washington attempted 23 shots on the afternoon, tied for the most of any player who saw action. PJ has been much better than expected, and Oklahoma City could take the approach of him regressing to the mean eventually. However, the last two games show this is a dangerous strategy. Game 4 is on Monday night in Dallas, with the Mavericks leading the series two games to one.