P.J. Washington's wife Alisah Chanel drops 1-word reaction to Mavericks star's clutch game vs. Grizzlies
P.J. Washington's wife, Alisah Chanel, was just as ecstatic as any other Dallas Mavericks fan after her husband's dagger 3 against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night. Sitting courtside, Alisah had one of the best views of the shot that sealed the Mavericks' trip to the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals.
Washington hit the shot from the right wing off a Luka Doncic assist to give the Mavericks a 6-point separation with 27 seconds left. It was the third consecutive 3 Dallas made after two previous ones from Spencer Dinwiddie gave them a two and five-point read, respectively.
Alisah took to Instagram to express her thoughts about her husband as she recorded a video of them embracing each other with a kiss courtside following the game. She wrote a one-word message, saying:
"Proud"
P.J. Washington finished with another solid outing as he tallied 18 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, one steal and two blocks, shooting 6 of 10, including 4 of 6 from 3. He had a team-high +/- +21. The Mavericks trailed by 15 to start the fourth quarter.
However, Washington's 10 points in the final 12 minutes and three rebounds on 100.0% shooting paved the way for the team's comeback. It was a crucial effort, especially with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving struggling in the clutch. Doncic had eight points but shot only 2 of 6, while Irving scored two points off free throws after failing to convert all four shots.
Luka Doncic and Dereck Lively II hail P.J. Washington's clutch play
P.J. Washington left everyone in the building impressed with his stellar clutch play. Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic had great things to say about his teammate's presence and energy. Doncic claimed the Mavericks had 'all the trust in the world' in Washington's ability to deliver when needed. He noted Washington's two-way ability, saying (h/t Mavericks' beat writer Noah Weber):
"P.J. always brings it. Just very positive guy, keeps us together. We have so many leaders on the team, and the chemistry is off the roof … He’s vocal, he’s always positive …
"He can guard, probably guards the best player every night, and then rebounding. I see he had seven assists today, playmaking … Back to back two big shots, so we have all the trust in the world with him."
Meanwhile, Lively gave a shoutout to the "dirty work" Washington does for the team as the go-to player to make the winning plays like diving for loose balls, winning jump balls, rebounding, and doing the little things on offense that help the others.
P.J. Washington's box scores won't always show his impact, but the Mavericks' record with and without him sums up his tenure with the franchise. Since returning home to play for his hometown franchise, the Texas native has turned the team's fortunes around as a contender since his trade at last season's deadline.
The Mavericks made the NBA Finals in his debut year. In 2024-25, they are 13-4 with him in the lineup and 1-4 without. His overall record with the team stands at an impressive 34-12.