Dallas Mavericks compare P.J. Washington to NBA Champion forward from Nuggets

Entering tonight's game against the Toronto Raptors, the Dallas Mavericks are coming off back-to-back losses to begin their Eastern Conference road trip.

The first loss came to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday and the second loss came to the Cleveland Cavaliers last night due to a half-court heave by Max Strus at the buzzer to seal the win for the Cavs.

The Mavs were in a position to take down one of the best teams in the league last night, but bad officiating combined with Strus going nuclear from downtown late in the game gave the Cavs the edge.

Dallas Mavericks compare P.J. Washington to NBA Champion forward from Nuggets

Mavs forward P.J. Washington had a much-needed bounce-back game to get out of his slump, as he finished with 11 points on 5-8 shooting with three steals and one block. Washington continues to be a dominant force on defense, and last night was a good example of how the Mavs can utilize him better on offense.

They used him as a screener in the pick and roll some and he looked more comfortable as a shooter and driver. Confidence will be key for Washington moving forward, and last night he played a great all-around game.

If you want to know how great Dallas thinks Washington can be for them, listen to a recent report from NBA Insider Shams Charania on "Run It Back."

"The Mavericks really believe that the PJ Washington pickup is going to pay dividends, is going to be a big pick up," Charania said. "They compare him to Aaron Gordon, what Aaron Gordon means to Denver."

Aaron Gordon has meant everything for the Denver Nuggets over the last few years, and he helped the Nuggets win the NBA Finals in 2023. His versatility on both ends of the floor has been massive for Denver, and it sounds like Dallas thinks Washington can have a similar impact.

This season for Denver, Gordon is averaging 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 55.1 percent from the field. As Washington gets more acclimated to playing in Dallas, he may be able to replicate the type of impact that Gordon has had in Denver.

For all the latest on P.J. Washington and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.