The Washington Wizards defeated the Dallas Mavericks 132-123 at Capital One Arena on Wednesday night. Despite giving up 43 points to the Mavericks in the first quarter, the Wizards were able to finish strong, picking up their second win in a row and third win in a four-game series. They also beat the Mavericks for the first time at home since January 21, 2008. With less than 20 games left, every win is momentum in the Wizards playoff hunt.

“Our goal is to make the playoffs until the fat lady sings at the end of the year,” Bradley Beal said. “We have to keep pushing forward and take it a game at a time. We try to go week-by-week. Try to get four games every week. So far we are 2-0, and we have 18 more games left or so maybe less, so we just have to make sure we are ready to go. We still have a great opportunity in front of us. We can win a lot of games and make some noise down the stretch.”

The Wizards are at their best when they outrebound their opponents and play as a complete team. They did both against the Mavericks. All five starters finished in double digits led by Bradley Beal who continues to play lights out. In addition to his 30-point performance, one of the highlights of the game was his rare dunk over 7’2 Mavericks center Salah Mejri and the stare down that followed.

It was also an impressive game for Wizards forward Jabari Parker. He put together 20 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Parker was also a major factor in leading the Wizards past the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. It’s becoming evident that he is finding more comfort with his teammates after joining the team via a recent trade with the Chicago Bulls.

“I thought Jabari came in and gave us great force toward the paint,” Coach Scott Brooks said. “We’re really good scoring when we touch the paint, whether it’s through extra passing or attacking. And Jabari was good tonight doing that in the second unit.”

The Wizards head to Charlotte on Friday to take on the Hornets. Thanks to the Miami Heat’s win over the Hornets on Wednesday night, the Wizards have a chance to go from number 11 in the Eastern Conference standings to number 10. A victory in Charlotte will move them closer to the number eight playoff seed.

Tonight’s game is the ultimate challenge for the Wizards who are still struggling on the road. This is a must-win game and a critical opportunity for the Wizards if they want to see themselves in the postseason.

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