Takeaways: Washington was very solid against Bulls

CHICAGO – While the Dallas Mavericks often have been dressing out just eight or nine players due to injuries, forward P.J. Washington couldn’t help but be overly excited after the Mavs suited up 11 players and had seven score 12 or more points during Saturday’s 120-119 win over the Chicago Bulls.

“I think it just speaks to how many good players we have on this team,” Washington said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that can score (and) we’ve got a lot of guys that can get each other involved.

“I think it’s going to be really beautiful once we get into it. Obviously, we’re excited to get out of (Chicago) with a win, but we could have done a lot of things better on the defensive end. But I think the future is definitely bright.”

The Mavs went 3-1 on this four-game trip and have won four of their last five games. A rash of injuries have hampered their efforts, but they’ve righted the ship over the past nine days.

“Guys are starting to click (and) we’re starting to find a rhythm,” Washington said. “Guys obviously are keep fighting, and we’re playing good basketball right now. Obviously, we just got to keep it up.”

After missing two games with a left ankle sprain, Washington made a heroic return on Saturday and finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and two blocks against the Bulls.

“I think I’m just trying to go out there and forget about it and try to work myself into the game,” Washington said of his aches and pains. “For me, just try to be aggressive early (and) I think it opens up a lot for us. I just try to be aggressive no matter who’s on me.”

Washington also took time to praise Chicago native Anthony Davis, who collected 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Davis became the 25^th player in NBA history with at least 1,800 blocks, and the Mavs are a perfect 4-0 when he plays.

“Obviously, we’re super-excited to have AD back,” Washington said. “I think he brings so much to our team. Obviously, he’s trying to work his rhythm back, and I feel like we’re in a good place right now.”

The latest surge by the Mavs enabled them to leapfrog from 11^th in the Western Conference when they started this trip up to the ninth spot. It also enabled the Mavs to control their own destiny as to whether they’re going to secure one of the four play-in tournament spots.

“Obviously, the job is not finished,” Washington said. “We just got to keep going.

“It’s rolling right now, and we just want to keep rolling and just keep things in a rhythm and keep playing together. Everybody is enjoying themselves and that’s what you want, especially at this time of the year.”

Here are the takeaways from the one-point win over the Bulls.

JONES BOUNCED BACK: Kai Jones did his Superman impersonation for the Mavs – flying all over the United Center. On Thursday against the Orlando Magic, Jones skied so high on a dunk that he landed extremely hard on his backside. After just seven minutes of play against the Magic, Jones walked very gingerly to the locker room while suffering from a left hip contusion. But two days later, Jones was surprisingly back in the starting lineup and back flying through the air with the greatest of ease. The 6-11 center ended up with 15 points, seven rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocks and five dunks against the Bulls.

DINWIDDIE’S NEAR TRIPLE-DOUBLE: Spencer Dinwiddie had his imprint all over Saturday’s game. When the veteran point guard wasn’t scoring the ball – he finished with 14 points — he was busy distributing 11 assists and finding his teammates for open looks at the basket. In fact, because Dinwiddie also was able to haul in eight rebounds, he found himself being just two rebounds shy of registering his second career triple-double. It was indeed a masterful overall game by Dinwiddie, who also had just one turnover while playing 36 minutes.

THOMPSON WAS RIGHT ON THE MONEY: Mavs guard Klay Thompson was at his sharp-shooting best from long distance on Saturday, and really got the Mavs out of a jam when the game appeared to be slipping away. The Bulls built a 12-point lead in the second quarter, but Thompson led the Mavs’ comeback when he nailed three consecutive three-pointers. In all, Thompson was 5-of-10 from three-point land while becoming the second player in NBA history to make at least 200 three-pointers in 10-plus  seasons. He also became the fourth player in Mavs history to hit at least 200 triples in a season.

X: @DwainPrice