PJ Washington, the key instigator of a fresh rivalry, misses out! The Dallas Mavericks take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on the opening day of the NBA Cup’s knockout rounds. It’s a battle on the top of the West ladder. Most importantly, this isn’t any ordinary clash between two sides. Both teams have a fresh rivalry brewing and the Texas side seemed to have had the most laughs in recent times. Amid this exciting matchup, Luka Doncic and Co. lose their vital resource.

While the star forward puts up consistent performances, he turns aggressively productive whenever he plays against the Thunder! In the previous season, the Mavs kicked out the OKC side during the Conference semi-finals. Not to forget, PJ Washington’s series-clinching clutch free throws in Game 6 that hit the final nail in the coffin. Following that, both teams faced again in November. Guess what? Once again PJ added salt to the injury, producing a game-high 27 points to defeat OKC.

Tonight, they face again with the NBA Cup on the line. This time, the Thunder seem to have the upper hand, as the Dallas team ruled out PJ Washington moments before the tip-off, citing illness. They had listed Naji Marshall and PJ as Questionable for most of the time and updated their status ahead of the game, making Marshall available while benching the forward.

Apart from these two players, the team has listed 3 other players as out: Maxi Kleber, Dante Exum, and Jaden Hardy. Even though these players might affect the depth of the Mavs’ roster, the presence of the superstar trio: Klay Thompson, Luka Doncic, and Kyrie Irving is enough to threaten their young opponents.

Meanwhile, the Thunder team isn’t anything less. Apart from Jaylin Williams and Chet Holmgren, they don’t miss anyone on the roster. Especially after the inclusion of Isaiah Hartenstein, they look lethal, with Jalen Williams and SGA dominating the court.

Can PJ Washington make an impact off the court?

Well, the Mavs certainly know how to rub their victory in the opponents’ faces. The last time, Dallas won against the Thunder, the Texas side made sure that OKC knew it loud and clear. After defeating the Thunder in the November 17th match-up, the team blared “Last Time That I Checc’d” by Nipsey Hussle from their weight room in the Paycom Center, as per Tim MacMahon!

Moreover, PJ Washington did it again after defeating the LA Clippers at the Intuit Dome. The important aspect of this trolling is that the Clippers security closed the temporary weight room’s door multiple times but PJ would just reopen it repeatedly. So, we can expect similar antics.

While these back-and-forths happen after almost every NBA game, PJ can start his disruptions from the courtside, if he attends the game. Nevertheless, both teams don’t need any sort of off-court activity to boost their game, as they possess a stacked roster.

Who do you think will win the quarter-final contest and proceed to the semi-final? Will the OKC Thunder finally seek revenge for their 2024 postseason woes? Let us know your predictions in the comments below.