Player Ratings: Summary of the Mavericks’ 137-101 loss to the Washington Wizards

Eight Dallas Mavericks scored in double figures and the starters sat for most of the fourth quarter in Thursday’s 137-101 victory over the Washington Wizards (2:18) at Capital One Arena.

The Mavs (15-8) took care of business and no one was left on a stretcher, so mission accomplished. It wasn’t quite on par, but there won’t be an easier bloodshed this season. The Mavericks have now won nine of their last ten games, while Washington has now lost an incredible 16 games in a row.

Quiet, class, it’s time for the grades.

Luka Doncic: A-

21 points / 10 rebounds / 10 assists / 2 steals / 1 block

It’s always a good thing when Dončić sets the tone with 100% commitment against an inferior opponent, and that’s exactly what he did against the Wizards. He shot 2 of 3 from deep in the first quarter and tried to get the ball off defensive rebounds, which often led to easy balls or trips to the free throw line, even if they weren’t direct assists. He didn’t miss from inside the 3-point lane in the first half.

Dončić also did it on defense. He stopped dribbles and went vertical to challenge shots without fouls. He remained in the passing lanes after entering the game ranked fourth in the NBA with 1.8 steals per game. And he did all of this in 32 minutes of playing time.

Kyrie Irving: A

25 points / 4 rebounds / 3 assists / 2 steals

Irving scored a season-low 10 points in Tuesday’s 121-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, but on Thursday he showed off the bad mood with a fresh haircut. He was on a mission to win the Cup against Washington until he really hit his stride from distance in his 25 minutes on the floor. His deft reach down the baseline had the Washington crowd oohing and ahhing a minute before halftime, and the next time he knocked down his second 3-pointer of the game, giving Dallas a 66-50 lead. With a smooth pull-up jumper 30 seconds later, he scored nine straight Dallas points to end the first half and the Mavs took a 68-50 lead at the break. He scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half and rested most of the fourth quarter.

Klay Thompson: B-

11 points / 2 rebounds / 2 assists

Thompson started just 1 of 5 from the field in Washington’s first six minutes, but made both 3-point attempts in the second quarter. He scored again at the start of the fourth period, a positive sign for the future as he looks to overcome his current shooting slump. Keep shooting, Klay.

Dereck Lively II: B

6 points / 11 rebounds / 1 assists / 1 steals / 1 block

Lively wasn’t the focal point on offense, but we all know by now that he doesn’t have to be to have a big impact on the game. He grabbed seven of his 11 rebounds in the first half, and although he only had one blocked shot on Thursday, his interior defense forced a few frantic passes when the ball got inside. He got involved offensively in the third round with three baskets, deep in the lane and supported by Dončić.

Quentin Grimes: B+

14 points / 4 rebounds / 1 assist / 2 steals

Grimes turned the ball over three times in his first ten minutes on the floor, but also made a few nice plays to the basket. He stormed down the lane after an offensive board, then stole the ball from Jordan Poole and went coast-to-coast in transition less than a minute later to give the Mavs a 23-10 lead with five minutes left in the first quarter. He faked and hit another quick basket from the corner before the Wizards defense had a chance to break through and put the Mavs back in front at 20, 84-64, but that came after a rare palming violation on the previous possession . He made his stats look a little better with five points in junk time.

PJ Washington: B-

10 points / 7 rebounds / 2 assists / 2 blocks

Washington’s outstanding rebounding and 3-point shooting streak continued in the first half. The Mavs’ Swiss Army Knife hit his first two 3-pointers in the first quarter and was solid in nearly every facet of the game. However, in a series of really good games, this wasn’t his best, and it didn’t need to be, so it wasn’t a difficult task. Washington shot just 2 of 7 from the field in 25 minutes. We are moving.

Daniel Gafford: A

16 points / 7 rebounds / 1 assist / 2 blocks

Gafford was strong enough to go largely unnoticed in the first half before becoming a key factor under the basket as the Mavs extended their lead to over 30 in the third quarter. He had seven of his 16 points and two blocked shots in the third period, the second of which came on a Jonas Valanciunas fadeaway along the baseline and led to Grimes’ first 3-pointer of the game at the other end.

Spencer Dinwiddie: A-

12 points / 3 rebounds / 2 assists / 1 block

Dinwiddie’s pleasant surprises keep popping up on the Mavs’ porch. Late in the first quarter, he made his first 3-point attempt with a hand in the face to give the Mavs a 28-20 lead, then made another attempt just six seconds before the end of the first quarter that put Dallas in The lead went 31-22. He caught another pass from Dončić in transition early in the second period as the Mavs extended the lead to as many as 22 points.

Dinwiddie hit a ridiculously twisted J3 pointer from the right wing on Dallas’ final possession of the third, making it a 101-77 game heading into the fourth. He shot 4 of 5 from 3-point range in an incredibly efficient game.

Jaden Hardy: A

13 points / 1 rebound

Hardy didn’t enter the game until the start of the fourth quarter, which is considered junk time in the nation’s capital. The mission was to stay in rhythm after showing some developmental progress in recent games while filling in for injured teammates, and he did that and more, scoring 13 points in just six minutes. He hit two long 3-pointers on consecutive possessions midway through the fourth period to give the Mavs a 126-90 lead, but landed on his tailbone and hit the deck hard on a drive, resulting in a 3-pointer. Play less than led a minute later. He was taken out of the game a few possessions later, favoring his right leg.

Maxi Glue: C

0 points / 0 rebounds / 0 assists / 0 steals / 2 blocks

It’s a sliding grading scale, of course, but playing 17 minutes in a game and being almost non-existent statistically is remarkable. Kleber didn’t fire a shot, which, honestly, was probably for the best.

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