P.J. Washington’s explosive response to Kidd’s challenge is Mavs’ key to greatness

Last week, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd issued a bold challenge to P.J. Washington.

“We got to find a way to have P.J. play this way with Luka and Kai and Klay (Thompson),” Kidd said. “That’s the goal. He can’t take a step back. We got to continue to keep pushing him and I think he’s up to that challenge.”

Washington was playing at an elite level amid Luka Doncic's absence due to a wrist sprain, and heading into last night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, he was averaging 16.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 51.9 percent from downtown over the previous eight games.

Washington proves he's a game-changer with or without Dallas' big three

Washington continued his dominance in Dallas' thrilling 121-116 win over the Grizzlies, and he made a massive impact and proved that he can step up even when Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson are in the lineup.

"We try to play off Kai and Luka, they're great players," Washington said about his and Spencer Dinwiddie's big shots down the stretch. "But when it's our time, we got to step up and make the shot, and that's what we did tonight."

Washington aced Kidd's test, and it helped push the Mavs to a crucial victory. He finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and two blocks while shooting 6-10 from the field and 4-6 from downtown, and he made an immense impact on both ends of the floor.

His improved 3-point shooting has been a huge change from his struggles shooting the ball from three at the beginning of the season, and his confidence and continuous in-game reps have worked wonders for him. He looks extremely comfortable off the catch, and his ability to knock down open shots makes him a dream fit next to Dallas' big three. He has even started to utilize a pump fake, often when shooting from the corner, and this has helped get him an even better look from downtown after the defender flies past him.

After the win, Doncic said that the team has "all the trust in the world" in Washington, and he praised nearly every part of his game. From talking about Washington's defense to his shooting, and even his playmaking, Doncic gave Washington his flowers.

While defenses are starting to have to hone in on Washington's 3-point shooting, this has created better opportunities for him to attack closeouts. He attacks the rim with a sense of direction and aggressiveness and that is excellent to see, and his willingness to handle the ball in transition and the half-court has been a testament to his hard work over the summer. His handle continues to progress as time goes on, and this allows him to be a huge threat in transition.

Washington plays with force when pushing the ball on the fastbreak, and he is a threat to throw down a thunderous slam or dump the ball off to a cutting big man. He is becoming a much better decision-maker in two-on-one situations, and his passing was on full display against Memphis. Washington is never afraid to make the extra pass, and that often leads to open dunks or threes for his teammates.

Outside of his shooting and slashing, Washington has also quietly turned into an amazing rebounder and a reliable post-up option when he has a smaller defender on him. Kidd often elects to go to Washington in the post early on in games, and while sometimes he forces his post hook when it isn't there, his growing in this area is turning him into a much more versatile offensive player.

On the other side of the floor, Washington's defense continues to be elite. He has been counted upon to be Dallas' defensive stopper all season long, and he never fails to impress. Last night, he shut down Ja Morant on multiple possessions at the end of the game, and he happily accepts whatever defensive role Kidd throws his way. He has proved to everyone that he can be an elite defender in Kidd's scheme when defending almost any position, and his heart is what sets him apart.

Washington plays with endless energy, and it's something that his teammates love about him.

"P.J. always brings it," Doncic said when asked about his intensity after the game. "Just very positive guy, keeps us together."

Washington has become one of the leaders on the team through his constant encouragement of his teammates and the energy that he brings, and that energy was on full display after he drilled a three from the right wing to give the Mavs a six-point lead with less than 30 seconds remaining. Washington let out an emphatic yell, and the crowd went bonkers.

"I just wanted to bring energy for our guys," Washington said after the game. "We were down a little bit, so I tried to pick the energy up and obviously it worked. Just trying to come out here and be that guy every night for us."

Washington put on a show in front of over 20,000 fans at the American Airlines Center on Tuesday night, and any doubt that he couldn't step up and be a third or fourth option next to Doncic, Irving, and Thompson was shattered. He is playing some of the best basketball of his career right now, and Kidd has to be fired up about how Washington has answered the call to be great.