P.J. Washington 20 points vs Cavaliers (Mar 15, 2026): best of 48 games
20 PTS · 8-of-16 FG · 3-of-4 3P · 1-of-2 FT · 33:24 MIN
Usual before this game: 14.0 PTS · 11.7 FGA · 30.7 MIN, from 47 regular-season games
Best Game Score of the 48 games the source holds this season: 23.2 against a usual 10.4 (+12.8)
above usual
No more than 3 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did P.J. Washington score 20 points?
P.J. Washington scored 20 points against the Cavaliers on Mar 15, 2026 in 33:24: 8-of-16 from the field (50.0%), 3-of-4 from three, 1-of-2 on free throws. Before this game, Washington averaged 14.0 points on 11.7 shots in 30.7 minutes across 47 regular-season games. This game had the best Game Score of the 48 games the source holds this season. Shot attempts: 16, against a usual 11.7. The 50.0% from the field compares with a usual 44.4%. Points by shot type, against the usual: threes 9 (3.8), two-pointers 10 (7.9), free throws 1 (2.3). Washington played 33:24 against a usual 30.7 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 25.0, against a usual 12.2. Washington had 5 steals and 1 block, against a usual 1.0 and 1.1. At the Cavaliers, the Mavericks won 130-120. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Washington in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (47 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 33:24 | 30.7 | +2.7 |
| Points | 20 | 14.0 | +6.0 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 16 · 50.0% | 11.7 · 44.4% | +4.3 · +5.6 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 3-of-4 | 4.0 · 31.6% | 0.0 |
| FTA · FT% | 1-of-2 | 3.4 · 67.9% | -1.4 |
| Rebounds | 11 | 6.9 | +4.1 |
| Assists | 2 | 1.8 | +0.2 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1.8 | -1.8 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 47 games | 21.9 | 20.5 | +1.4 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 25.0 | 12.2 | +12.8 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (47 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 9 (3-of-4) | 3.8 (1.3-of-4.0) | +5.2 |
| Twos | 10 (5-of-12) | 7.9 (3.9-of-7.7) | +2.1 |
| Free throws | 1 (1-of-2) | 2.3 (2.3-of-3.4) | -1.3 |
| Total | 20 | 14.0 | +6.0 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
23.2 against a usual 10.4 (+12.8)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +4.2 |
| Rebounds | +2.7 |
| Assists | +0.1 |
| Steals and blocks | +3.9 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +1.9 |
| Total | +12.8 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of the 48 games the source holds this season.
Previous best: 23.0, set on Nov 3, 2025.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Mavericks won 130-120 at the Cavaliers.
- Previous appearance: Mar 12, 2026, 3 days earlier.
- Between the previous appearance and this game, the Mavericks played on Mar 13, 2026; Washington was not in that box score; the data does not say why.
- No earlier regular-season meetings with the Cavaliers this season.
- The source holds fewer Mavericks games than this season has, so season highs, lows and ranks count only the games it holds.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.