P.J. Washington's 3 bold goals will propel Mavericks back to the Finals

The Dallas Mavericks are set to begin their season in less than a week. The team heads into the year with many headlines as they look to make another Finals appearance. The biggest story was the acquisition of Klay Thompson and his development with Dallas.

He lived up to expectations in his first preseason game as he backed up his bold Media Day claim. Thompson mentioned that he was the same player who wasn't afraid to knock down open 3-pointers. In his first preseason game with Dallas, Thompson shot 60 percent from long range and scored 10 points in 18 minutes of action.

While he struggled during his second game, Thompson bounced back nicely on Thursday. The newest Mav scored 11 points and shot 42.9 percent from the 3-point line. His performance put the Mavs fans' worries at ease. He looks ready to take over the wing position in the team's opening game.

Washington's goals will be key to Mavs making another deep playoff run

One player rejuvenated to help Dallas make another Finals run is P.J. Washington. The Mavs' starting forward expressed his desire to help the team get back to the promised land, and he always speaks of the Mavs glowingly.

Recently, he listed three of his biggest goals for the season in an appearance at Raising Cane's in Dallas.

3. Shoot 40 percent from beyond the 3-point line

P.J. Washington's shooting will play a key role in the team's offensive success this season. This is especially critical when it comes to his 3-point shot. Last season, Washington shot a career-low 32 percent from downtown. This was a dip from his career average of 35.4 percent.

Washington's numbers drastically improved in the playoffs when he converted 34.8 percent of his long-range attempts. His 3-point shot helped Dallas advance to the Western Conference Finals. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, he shot 46.9 percent from the 3-point line.

His best performance came in Game 1 and Game 2 when he shot above 60 percent from behind the arc. In Game 2, Washington made seven of his 11 3-point attempts and scored a playoff-high 29 points.

This was a step up from his shooting during his first full month with the team. Washington shot 28.7 percent from the 3-point line in March. He struggled heavily in his first games, converting less than 25 percent of his attempts.

Washington has converted 35.4 percent of his career 3-point attempts. His best season came in his second season when he made 38.6 percent of his threes.

It is very likely Washington could have a career season this year with the addition of Klay Thompson. Assuming defenses focus all their attention on Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Thompson, this could be a major benefit for Washington. Just imagine all the open shots he will have with the team's new offense.

His new jump shot could also be a key factor in helping him reach his 3-point goal of shooting above 40 percent from downtown. This is a feat he has never achieved in his career, but there's no better time to do it than right now.