The Dallas Mavericks secured a solid 113-103 win over the New Orleans Pelicans at the American Airlines Center, thanks in large part to Kyrie Irving’s stellar performance. The veteran guard led the team with 35 points and took the opportunity to shine a spotlight on his teammate, PJ Washington, calling him a rising star within the Mavericks’ lineup.
Washington made a triumphant return after missing three games due to a right ankle sprain. In his first game back, he delivered a crucial performance, tallying 24 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. With Luka Doncic no longer in Dallas, Washington’s emergence as a scorer has been pivotal for the team’s success.
“When he’s not in the lineup, we miss him out there,” Irving said about Washington, via Joey Mistretta. “We’re able to go small… Being a play-maker, stretching out the opposing centers to the three-point line… We just need him to stay aggressive”.
Irving also didn’t hold back in labeling Washington a future star. “He’s a budding star for our team. He’s showcasing that. His numbers have showcased that. So I think it’s time we start furthering that conversation about PJ Washington consistently doing these things,” Irving added.
Washington reacts to Irving’s praise
In the postgame press conference, PJ Washington expressed his gratitude for Irving’s mentorship and shared what it means to play alongside one of the league’s top stars.
“It means a lot, obviously, coming from a guy like Kai,” Washington said. “He’s been a superstar in this league for a while. Credit to him for saying that and obviously just being like a big brother to me and helping me in every way he can since I got here. Obviously, it’s great for me to be here and play with him”.
Jason Kidd on Washington’s growth as a scorer
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd also weighed in on Washington’s development as an offensive weapon, praising the strides he’s made since joining the team. “I thought it started last year,” Kidd said. “The opportunities to go in the post and play through him in the post, I thought gave him confidence. Also, it gave us another weapon that we didn’t have or didn’t recognize early when we got him”.
Kidd highlighted Washington’s playoff contributions and how his growth has added versatility to the team’s offense. “In the playoffs, we started to put him in the post and it started to get him going offensively,” Kidd explained. “But we’ve always looked at him as making the big three in the corner or being able to guard, but now he’s added being able to roll and play-make. And also being able to score”.