The first Dallas possession on Friday began with P.J. Washington ending Indiana’s. Andrew Nembhard missed an 11-foot pull-up, Washington collected the defensive rebound, and Daniel Gafford scored an 11-foot shot 15 seconds later. On the next trip, Gafford grabbed Max Christie’s missed 3-pointer and found Kyrie Irving for a 28-foot 3.
That opening helped explain Dallas’ 121-105 victory over Indiana. Irving supplied the recognizable flourishes, scoring 24 points and making five 3-pointers in 25 minutes. Washington handled the work that kept those shots from carrying the entire burden: 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in 33 minutes.
Dallas led by 37 and carried a 77-43 advantage into halftime, so this was never a possession-by-possession escape. Indiana did win the second half 62-44. Cooper Flagg left the game with 59.7 seconds remaining before halftime after Aaron Nesmith’s flagrant foul, and Irving eventually fouled out.
Dallas had already built enough separation to absorb both complications. Washington helped create that margin and then kept contributing after it was tested.
His scoring arrived in several forms. Washington shot 6-for-11, made 2 of 4 from 3-point range and converted 6 of 8 free throws. He hit a 25-foot 3 early in the first quarter.
Later in that period, Irving missed a 17-foot pull-up, Washington grabbed the offensive rebound and drew a foul; after Dallas retained the possession, he made one free throw. The sequence produced just one point, but it turned a dead-end shot into another chance and a trip to the line.
Washington finished with three offensive rebounds as Dallas collected 11, two fewer than Indiana. That comparison prevents an overly tidy story about the Mavericks dominating every loose ball.
It also shows why his contribution was valuable without being overwhelming: he supplied extra possessions in a game where Indiana had more offensive rebounds overall, while Dallas’ larger early advantage came from a broader combination of shooting, ball movement and defensive disruption.
His defensive work added another layer. With 2.3 seconds left in the second quarter, Washington blocked Aaron Nesmith’s 25-foot attempt. Ivica Zubac recovered for Indiana, so the play did not end the possession, but the initial shot was denied with Dallas ahead 77-43.
Early in the fourth, Washington rejected Pascal Siakam’s 7-foot fadeaway. Indiana again recovered the ball, and Siakam later made a 3-pointer. At 5:31, Washington blocked Tyrese Haliburton’s 7-foot driving attempt; the Pacers collected that rebound, too.
