Mavericks Sneak By Against Wizards Behind Marshall’s 30-Point Performance (11-8-25)

By: Jaden Golding

Headline Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Image

WASHINGTON D.C.— After losing seven straight, the Washington Wizards came into Saturday against a depleted Dallas Mavericks group knowing they had to take advantage and gain a victory. However, despite the missing pieces, Dallas (3-7) was able to squeeze out a road victory, 111-105, at Capital One Arena. 

Washington (1-9) was led by C.J. McCollum, who scored 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting, with six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks. McCollum guided the Washington offense, scoring 23 of his 25  in the first half, helping them climb back from an 11-point deficit after the first quarter to trail only 57-53 at the half. 

McCollum was finding his shots inside the paint, off the high-middle screen to set up the mid-range game, and from beyond the arc as well.

Naji Marshall stepped up big-time for Dallas, who were missing Klay Thompson (Illness), Anthony Davis (Left Calf), Dante Exum (Left Knee), and Derek Lively (Right Knee). Marshall scored a season-high 30 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and hit three 3-pointers. It was a special feeling for Marshall, who got to play in front of his hometown crowd that he grew up in and with the likes of fellow DMV natives Cam Whitmore and Bub Carrington. 

Whitmore made his presence felt, scoring a season-high 19 points, helping pick up the offense after McCollum’s quiet second half. 

In the postgame press conference, Whitmore talked about staying ready whenever his name is called and about knowing his game and what he’s capable of. It’s only the first ten games of the season, and “I’m still trying to get used to the new environment, trying to build chemistry with these guys, and figure out what my role is. But I feel like we have a bright future.”

Washington outscored Dallas 33-25 in the third, taking a four-point lead into the fourth. The Wizards scored the first two opening buckets, expanding their lead to 90-82 with about 11 minutes left in the game. However, Washington’s offense would stall out on possessions, allowing Dallas to cut the lead back down, eventually retaking it slowly. Behind two timely buckets from veteran forward PJ Washington and separate trips for a pair of free throws in the back half of the quarter, the Mavericks were able to carry out the road win.

Other Wizards’ Stats

● Alex Sarr: 17 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocks

● Marvin Bagley: 10 points, five rebounds in 17 minutes

● Tre Johnson: nine points and nine rebounds

● Kyshawn George: 10 points, three assists

● Bub Carrington: nine points, three assists, and two rebounds

Why did Washington lose their eighth straight?

The Wizards fouled the Mavericks too many times tonight, ultimately sending them to the free-throw line for 30 attempts on the night. Dallas converted on 21 of those. The Mavericks made a living on the inside, outscoring the Wizards 66-44 in the paint. Dallas also had 23 points off turnovers, which helped them get ahead on breaks, leading to 33 fast-break points. 

DC’s offense stalled in the fourth, as Dallas’s switching caused the Wizards issues with finding reasonable shot attempts and getting looks up later in the shot clock. 

Injuries

● Veteran forward Khris Middleton sat for the second game of the Wizards’ back-to-back (right knee management). 

● Bilal Couliably missed his second-straight contest after tweeking his lower leg in Wednesday’s loss against the Celtics. 

Up Next:

Washington heads to Detroit Monday Night, the game tips off at 7 p.m. on Peacock.

Dallas returns home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.