P.J. Washington, forward wing for the Dallas Mavericks, twisted his right ankle in pregame warmups on Wednesday night. This was the case in Inglewood, California. The injury occurred just days before the Mavericks’ first tip-off against the LA Clippers. Given the nature of the injury, Washington was promptly ruled out for the game. It was another blow to a Mavericks team that was dealing with a long injury report as well.
Washington’s injury occurred after he went down awkwardly on a basketball just moments before the first tip-off. Initially slated to start, he was a late scratch from the lineup, leaving the Mavericks without one of their key players. The team canceled his absence just before the game started, sending his fans and fellow players into a panic about his state.
So far this year, Washington is having his most productive season in the pros, averaging a career-best 16.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. His re-emergence has been key to the Mavericks’ success. As the rest of the team continues to struggle, his injury has been all the more damaging. Her absence compounded an already long list of injuries that had stricken the Dallas roster.
To make matters worse, the Mavericks came into this game without their top three big men, which would severely hamper their desired plan of attack against the Clippers. Then there’s Dereck Lively II, a key player in his own right, who missed the road trip due to illness. The Clippers had their own demons to deal with. Anthony Davis was unavailable for the second night of a back-to-back due to a left calf strain.
With Washington riding the pine, it was difficult for the Mavericks to keep the energy going against the Clippers. His absence hurt them most in the scoring department, with TCU’s defensive and rebounding presence going out the window without its anchor at the 5.
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