Shorthanded Mavs Lose to Depleted Sixers, P.J. Washington 'Sick' of Fans Chanting 'Fire Nico!'
PJ Washington responds to Mavericks fans' 'Fire Nico' chants during loss to 76ers, addressing frustration over Luka Doncic trade and team struggles.
The air at American Airlines Center is usually still when a Dallas Mavericks player toes the free-throw line. But during Sunday afternoon’s 130-125 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, it wasn’t just the bounce of the basketball echoing through the arena—it was frustration. Nothing has been typical about this Mavs season. Between trading a generational talent in the middle of the night without notice and having eight players active after trading for injured players, many fans are frustrated.
As P.J. Washington stepped to the stripe in the third quarter, a lone voice pierced through the silence: “Fire Nico!” a fan chanted, making his stance loud and clear on the Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Dončić. Washington knocked down the first shot, but before his second attempt, he turned and delivered a sharp response: “Shut yo ass up!”
Returning to the lineup for the first time in over two weeks, Washington dismissed the second attempt but had already made his point. His message didn’t end there.
“At the end of the day, the trades happened,” Washington said. “We understand we have a new team now. All that ‘Fire Nico’ stuff, we’re sick and tired of hearing it. We just want to go out there and play, and we need the fans to support us no matter who’s on the floor. That’s just how I feel about it.”
It most certainly was good to have Washington back on the floor. It was the kind of aggressive, high-energy presence the Mavericks had been missing during his absence with an ankle injury. He finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds in 32 minutes, notching a double-double before the third quarter even ended.
“I felt great, back to normal,” Washington said. “It felt great just to be back out there. I woke up early this morning, just excited to play. Definitely happy I’m back healthy.”
Quentin Grimes returned to the American Airlines Center—only this time in a Sixers jersey. The former Maverick, dealt to Philadelphia before the trade deadline, poured in 28 points and 6 assists, leading a significantly undermanned Sixers team to victory. It was just another reminder of how the ripple effects of recent trades continue to linger over the Mavericks’ season.
“Obviously, he’s been doing a hell of a job,” Washington said of Grimes. “I’m happy for him.”
The backlash toward the front office has only intensified since Harrison’s midseason moves—sending Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers in exchange for a return that included Anthony Davis and Max Christie, followed by flipping Grimes and for the injured Caleb Martin. The reaction from fans has been consistent, with “Fire Nico” chants heard not only in the arena but even during the team’s float appearance in Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. Sunday, inside the arena, fans were visibly mouthing the words on the Jumbotron. This chant is being heard at practically any sporting event around Dallas.
Dallas has dropped to 33-36 on the season, with a terrible 3-10 record since the All-Star break—tied for the third-worst in the NBA during that span. Since Dončić suffered a calf strain on Christmas, the season has practically unraveled without any sign of potential recovery. The Mavs are now 14-26 over their last 40 games.
Despite a late push that brought the Mavericks within one point on Spencer Dinwiddie’s layup with 37.4 seconds left, they couldn’t close the gap. Dinwiddie’s final three-point attempt rimmed out, and the Sixers iced the game at the line.
“Klay [Thompson] was coming to get it,” coach Jason Kidd said of the final play. “Naji’s our quarterback, he made the right play in thinking Klay was maybe covered. And went to Spence. Spence took a good shot, just hit the back rim. We had a good opportunity there.”
The loss wasn’t just about the final shot, though. Turnovers and a disastrous third quarter shifted the momentum. The Mavericks were outscored 34-18 in the frame, watching a halftime lead dissolve as Grimes and the Sixers carved through a flat Dallas defense.
“I think the third quarter really hurt us,” Christie said. “We lost the third quarter by 16 points. That’s going to hurt us when you come out of the break with no energy. We’re already down a lot of guys. We need to provide that energy for ourselves. There isn’t a lot of reinforcements coming. That third quarter is what lost us the game.”
Washington echoed similar sentiments, pointing to the team’s inability to take care of the ball and maintain their composure when it mattered.
“Obviously, we didn’t come out with the win,” Washington said. “The second half wasn’t too good for us, especially that third quarter. Obviously, there’s some things we need to correct. Overall, we were terrible on the offensive end when it comes to turnovers. We beat ourselves with that. We had 15 turnovers. That’s unacceptable. It shouldn’t have even gotten down to the last shot. If we don’t turn the ball over, we win the game.”
Even Kidd admitted the team’s body language and effort coming out of the half wasn’t where it needed to be.
“We were flat,” Kidd said. “In the first half, we attacked the paint and did a lot of good things. And in the third quarter, we were just flat. Offensively, we missed some shots, but it was more isolation instead of moving the ball. We can get better at that. And on the defensive end, we just gave up some offensive rebounds. We kind of just stood there and watched.”
Still, for all the noise surrounding the team, Washington’s return was a jolt, but it wasn’t enough. From the opening possessions, he set a tone, drawing fouls and scoring early. It was the type of presence the Mavericks desperately lacked in Friday’s loss to Houston and throughout the stretch where they went just 1-6 without him.
“First time in a while, I thought he was really, really good,” Kidd said. “He did a lot of good things. He helped us score, and hopefully, he comes out of this clean.”
While it may have grown frustrating for some Maverick players, there is no running or hiding from the decisions made at the trade deadline. As long as they wear “Dallas” across their chest, they represent the team that shockingly traded Dončić.
Fans' frustrations will likely intensify as the Mavs continue to struggle, especially with constant reminders of the trade—like watching Dončić succeed with the Lakers, especially during his April 9 return to the American Airlines Center.
The Mavericks return to action on Wednesday when they face the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
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