Mavs’ PJ Washington still ‘even-keeled’ amid scoring surge over Thunder

PJ Washington scored 27 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 105-101 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinals series in Dallas Saturday, May 11 (Sunday, May 12, Manila time).

The Mavericks lead the series 2-1, winning for the second consecutive game.

Washington has scored 56 points combined over the past two games and has hit a combined 12 three-pointers, including five Saturday.

“Even-keeled,” Washington said when asked if his confidence is soaring after the past two games. “You can’t get too high, you can’t get too low.”

Kyrie Irving scored 8 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, including six consecutive Mavericks points early in the quarter that helped Dallas stretch the lead to nine with eight minutes remaining.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points and 10 rebounds, going 10-of-23 from the field.

The Thunder repeatedly fouled to send Dallas’ Dereck Lively II, a 50.6% free-throw shooter during the regular season, to the line.

But Lively went 5-of-8 from the line in the fourth quarter to help the Mavericks hold the lead.

Irving hit a floater with 39 seconds left to put Dallas up five.

“We haven’t done nothing,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We haven’t achieved anything. We have to stay hungry.”

Chet Holmgren’s free throws with 10 seconds left made it a one-possession game, but Luka Doncic hit the first of his two free throws moments later to put the game away.

Doncic had 22 points and 15 rebounds, going 7-of-10 from the free-throw line.

“We’re not playing quite at a level that I think we’re capable of right now,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

With just more than three minutes left in the third, Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams was guarding Irving on the perimeter and turned his ankle during a collision with Josh Green.

Williams stayed down during the rest of the possession, and Irving buried his first three-pointer of the game to put the Mavericks up 74-70.

Irving’s triple extended Dallas’ run to 19-5, with eight points from Washington during the stretch.

The Mavericks run came immediately after an 11-0 Thunder run put Oklahoma City up by 10, its biggest lead of the game.

Williams returned to the bench ahead of the fourth quarter and returned later.

Williams added 16 points, Chet Holmgren had 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks – 3 in the first quarter – and Isaiah Joe had 13 points, hitting three of his four attempts from three-point range. – Rappler.com