Shorthanded Mavericks Snap Five-Game Skid with Win Over Lakers: 'We Need to Build on It'
The Mavericks ended a five-game skid with a 118-97 win over the Lakers, led by Quentin Grimes' 26 points and P.J. Washington's 22-point performance.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks emphatically snapped a five-game losing streak, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-97 at American Airlines Center on Tuesday night. Despite missing Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks improved to 21-16, while the Lakers fell to 20-16.
Quentin Grimes delivered his most complete performance since joining the Mavericks, leading all scorers with 26 points. Grimes matched his career high by hitting six three-pointers on 11 attempts while also contributing nine rebounds and six assists.
“I feel like we came out with the right mindset as a team,” P.J. Washington said. “Jason Kidd wanted to make sure we didn't play simple basketball – actions that benefit everybody and just keep it simple. We did a good job as a team tonight. I thought Quentin Grimes had a great game, I thought Spencer Dinwiddie had a great game, Jaden Hardy, a lot of us played well, even Maxi Kleber. Everybody had big minutes, and everybody stepped up to the table tonight.”
The Mavericks entered the night after a tough 119-104 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, where they struggled to maintain momentum without Dončić and Irving. Despite fatigue, they came out with renewed energy against the Lakers.
Washington added 22 points on 9 of 14 shooting, knocking down all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. He produced a strong bounce-back scoring performance after shooting 7 of 22 against the Grizzlies the night before. Regardless, he added eight rebounds and one steal, with plenty of defensive contributions.
“Everybody played together. We got in the paint, and good things happened,” Washington said. “Obviously, it doesn’t feel good losing five games, but to win tonight felt really good. We need to build on it and get back to work.”
Dinwiddie finished with 19 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. His ability to direct the offense was pivotal, but Washington and Grimes set the tone for the Mavericks' attack. The Mavericks needed Dinwiddie’s intentional effort to run the offense and patiently read the defense to create the best shot for the group.
“Credit Spencer Dinwiddie. I thought he played a great game at the point,” Washington said. “We’re going to need that from him with Luka and Kai out. Holding it down as a team is the goal – it’s just more opportunities for everybody.”
Exploiting Weaknesses Early
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