Bleacher Report appears to have made an unwise assessment upon re-evaluating the Mavericks’ trade for P.J. Washington.
The Dallas Mavericks bounced back against the Miami Heat on Thursday night with a strong team-wide defensive performance. This was much needed after a string of games where they allowed over 120 points, resulting in five losses out of six games. These losses disrupted the momentum they had built during a seven-game winning streak. The team’s issues, including coaching, poor defense, and questionable lineups, were highlighted during this rough patch. The additions of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford at the trade deadline stirred various opinions from sports outlets regarding the Mavericks’ moves.
Despite the team’s defensive struggles, Gafford and Washington have notably bolstered Dallas’ defense since joining the squad. However, Bleacher Report’s recent re-grade of the Mavericks’ trade for Washington resulted in a low grade of D. Dan Favale, the author, pointed out Dallas’ defensive shortcomings and criticized Coach Kidd’s handling of Washington’s offensive involvement.
While Favale acknowledges that Washington isn’t to blame for the team’s recent issues, he still gives the Mavericks a low grade for the trade. Washington has shown improvement on offense in recent games, and it’s hoped that he will further integrate into Dallas’ system on both ends of the court ahead of the playoffs.
Despite the criticism, the Mavericks aim to maintain their momentum from the win against the Heat as they head into the playoffs. Stay tuned for more updates on P.J. Washington and the Mavericks as they prepare for postseason action.
