As the matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and the LA Clippers began tonight at the Intuit Dome, one key presence was missing. Dallas forward P.J. Washington, one of the team’s best players in a disappointing early season campaign, was out of the starting lineup and not even on the bench. What happened to him?
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Reporter Leslie McCaslin later revealed that the incident had occurred before the start of the game. According to him, Washington “fell on a loose basketball under the basket” during pre-game work, a random and bizarre accident that left fans reading the report confused as to what had happened.
Shortly thereafter, the Mavericks made an announcement, labeling his return as ‘questionable’ and he was ejected from the game about 20 minutes later. According to the team, Washington suffered a sprained right ankle.
Tonight, Washington was supposed to be the second-best player on a struggling Mavericks team, with Anthony Davis having to sit out the second night of a back-to-back after returning against the Los Angeles Lakers after a 14-game absence due to a calf strain. In addition to Davis, the team is also missing center pair Derek Lively, who is being evaluated for inflammation in his right foot, and Daniel Gafford, who has battled right ankle soreness throughout the season after suffering a sprain in training camp before the season.
This leaves Dallas’ frontcourt rotation extremely depleted, with only Moussa Cisse and Dwight Powell available to run the five. The Mavericks opted for a smaller lineup, featuring Nazi Marshall at forward along with Cooper Flagg.
Washington suffered an injury early in the season when, during a game against the Phoenix Suns, he exited the game early with a left shoulder strain, and missed their next game against the Clippers. Now, the team faces the threat of another potential absence that could extend beyond their current matchup.
With PJ Washington out and Anthony Davis rested, the spotlight shifts to Cooper Flagg
The Dallas Mavericks enter tonight’s matchup on another early season skid; The team has lost three straight games and is missing strong defensive anchor Anthony Davis for the second night in a row. Now, with PJ Washington’s freak accident, the team is also missing its leading scorer heading into tomorrow’s NBA Cup matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers.
imago
February 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) and guard Klay Thompson (31) and forward PJ Washington (25) and center Daniel Gafford (21) celebrate after Davis dunks the ball during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagen Images
This puts the spotlight on rookie #1 pick Cooper Flagg, who has gained consistency and composure after being relieved of point guard duties. Since moving to small forward on November 5, the rookie has averaged 17 points to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists, as well as an impressive 1.8 steals. He recorded a season-high 11 assists against the Lakers, and are looking to defeat the Clippers team without a secondary star that they faced in a double-overtime thriller two weeks ago.
The Clippers are dealing with problems of their own. Kawhi Leonard is on a minutes restriction after returning from an injured ankle, while offensive engine James Harden is playing with a sore foot after logging 40 minutes in the team’s previous game against the Memphis Grizzlies. With both teams dealing with injuries, late-game execution will be the deciding factor.
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