P.J. Washington exposes the moment Mavericks transformed into title contenders

The Dallas Mavericks have now won four games in a row after last night's thrilling victory over the Denver Nuggets, but things haven't always been sunshine and rainbows over the last few weeks for Dallas.

Nine games ago, the Mavs lost to one of the worst teams in the NBA, the Utah Jazz, and that marked their fourth-straight loss. Dallas' inability to close clutch games came back to bite them again, and you could tell that something was off.

The lack of energy was often cited as a reason for Dallas dropping games, and Jason Kidd destroyed Dallas' bench after their loss to the Phoenix Suns a couple of weeks ago due to them not helping Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

How one meeting turned the Mavericks' season around

The same excuses were piling up over and over, and P.J. Washington revealed how the Mavs climbed out of this seemingly endless hole after the Mavs' win over the Nuggets.

Washington gave reporters at Ball Arena in Denver an inside look into how Dallas snapped out of that horrendous losing streak, and it was as simple as a team meeting immediately after the Jazz game.

Washington said the meeting was with players and coaches, and they "told (themselves) we had to be better." The team watched film right after the game and discussed how they needed to play more as a team.

Ever since that moment, the Mavs have been on a roll. They found a way to win two clutch games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Nuggets, and they were without Doncic in both of these games. This shows that their depth is finally starting to come through and provide some support, and Washington has been a huge part of that.

Washington's dominance over the Thunder continued into their most recent game, and he seemingly couldn't miss from downtown. He finished with 27 points while shooting 3-4 from downtown and 10-10 from the free throw line, and later talked about how he loves playing against the Thunder and beating them.

Last night against Denver, Washington finished with 22 points, 13 rebounds, and three steals, and he was outstanding in the clutch. His finishing around the rim through contact was excellent in this game, and he hit several big free throws when the Mavericks needed him most.

Washington's 3-point shooting still hasn't fully come around yet, but he is getting great looks. He went through a similar slump right after he got to Dallas last season, but he ended up snapping out of it in the playoffs. Washington must continue to show confidence and a willingness to let it fly like he did in Oklahoma City, and the results should follow.

Washington's intense focus on winning and maturity is more evident by the day, and he continues to be someone who the Mavs can rely upon in big moments. He looks more and more look an indispensable piece for the Mavs due to his defensive dominance and growing offense repertoire, and his impact should rise even more once Doncic returns from his wrist injury.