National Basketball Association
Preview
Dallas at Washington
When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, December 5, 2024
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, District of Columbia

The Dallas Mavericks go for their sixth straight win when they visit the Washington Wizards on Thursday night.

Dallas won for the ninth time in 10 games when they defeated the visiting Memphis Grizzlies 121-116 on Tuesday night to advance to the knockout round of the NBA Cup.

The Wizards have lost 15 straight games after an 118-87 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers that left visiting Washington 0-4 in Cup play and eliminated in the group stage for the second straight season.

The Mavericks had more turnovers (11) than made baskets (10) in the third quarter against the Grizzlies but rallied from a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit for the win.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 16 points off the bench and hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give Dallas a 116-111 lead with 1:09 left as the Mavericks ended the game on a 15-5 run. Dinwiddie hit 5 of 10 shots in 25 minutes, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range.

Dallas won despite 25 turnovers and 14 missed free throws.

"I thought the group did a great job of staying together," Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said. "There was a lot of positivity on the bench. We just kept fighting. (We had) a lot of turnovers -- things that we haven't been doing. But the team stayed together."

Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 37 points, giving him 73 in his past two games, and added 12 rebounds with four steals. He shot 11 of 22 from the field, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range. P.J. Washington scored 18 points, and Dereck Lively II had 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

"We can fight, and we know we can fight," Lively said. "We all lean on each other to try to play the best we can."

The Wizards did not put up much of a fight against the Cavaliers, suffering their most lopsided loss in a season of losses. Washington is one loss away from tying the franchise record of 16 straight defeats (set twice, most recently last season.)

Jonas Valanciunas, Jordan Poole and rookie Bub Carrington scored 13 points for Washington, and Valanciunas also grabbed 11 rebounds in 19 minutes.

Washington committed eight first-quarter turnovers and trailed 35-20 after 12 minutes. The Wizards cut the deficit to 10 in the second quarter before the Cavaliers went on a 10-0 run.

"The first quarter they came out and hit us in the mouth," Wizards coach Sheldon Keefe said. "I thought we fought back at the start of the second quarter."

The Wizards shot 38.6 percent from the field and 15.4 percent from 3-point range while committing 21 turnovers.

"We probably played in crowds too much," Keefe said, "and then we did miss some wide-open shots."

In addition to the loss, Washington was banged up as well. Rookie forward Kyshawn George and guard Corey Kispert each sustained sprained left ankles in the second quarter and were ruled out. Guard Malcolm Brogdon exited in the third with right knee soreness.

The Mavericks took both meetings between the teams in 2023-24, winning 130-117 in Washington behind 31 points from Tim Hardaway Jr., and then 112-104 in Dallas as Doncic and Kyrie Irving each scored 26 points.

--Field Level Media

Stats and Records
Team Comparison
  W/L Strk Home Away Day Night Div Conf
Dallas 14-8 W5 8-3 6-5 0-0 14-8 4-1 10-6
Washington 2-17 L15 1-8 1-9 0-1 2-16 2-3 2-12
Last Meeting
Dallas Washington
Date Away Home Pts Reb FG% Pts Reb FG%
2/12/24 WAS 104 DAL 112 112 56 44.8 104 52 41.5
Player Stats
Previous Matchup
Points Player Total FG% FTM
Dallas L. Doncic 26 50.0 8
Washington D. Avdija 25 64.7 2
Rebounds Player Total Off Def
Dallas D. Gafford 17 7 10
Washington M. Bagley III 13 5 8
Assists Player  
Dallas L. Doncic 15
Washington T. Jones 16
Season
Points Player Total FG% FTM
Dallas K. Irving 507 50.1 62
Washington J. Poole 407 44.1 74
Rebounds Player Total Off Def
Dallas D. Gafford 159 65 94
Washington J. Valanciunas 169 50 119
Assists Player  
Dallas L. Doncic 124
Washington J. Poole 100
Quickchart Matchup
Dallas Dallas Off vs  Washington Washington Defense
Dallas Off vs Washington - Points For 118.0 Points For
Dallas Off vs Washington - Points Against 122.8 Points Against
Dallas - FG% 48.6 FG%
Washington - FG% 48.1 FG%
Dallas - Reb 45.1 Reb
Washington - Reb 47.6 Reb
Washington Washington Off vs  Dallas Dallas Defense
Washington Off vs Dallas - Points For 107.0 Points For
Washington Off vs Dallas - Points Against 111.6 Points Against
Washington - FG% 44.0 FG%
Dallas - FG% 45.2 FG%
Washington - Reb 42.5 Reb
Dallas - Reb 43.9 Reb