For you skeptics that have dismissed the Mavericks’ season as a goner, consider Friday’s 123-117 win over the Detroit Pistons a “take that” moment.

The Mavericks stopped a five-game home losing streak as they dusted the Pistons at American Airlines Center behind a season-best 31 points from Spencer Dinwiddie and 27 from P.J. Washington.

And, they proved that they are perfectly capable of learning from their mistakes.

It was just two nights earlier that the Mavericks had a seven-point lead in the final minute against Indiana, only to lose 135-131.

This time, the Mavericks were up by seven points with under two minutes left. Yet, you got the feeling that the Pistons sensed vulnerability. They turned up the defensive heat, but the Mavericks played with more poise and better execution. They also made seven of nine free throws down the stretch.

‘I think being in Indiana, learning from our mistakes, I said after (that) game that we’ll be better and I thought we were better at being able to take the ball out and get the ball past half court and take care of the ball,” coach Jason Kidd said. “The guys learned from that experience. That could have been a game that stuck with us for a while, but they turned the page.”

By doing so, they improved to 34-37 and kept the pressure on Phoenix and Sacramento, the two teams directly in front of them in the Western Conference standings. Two of those three teams are likely to be in the play-in tournament. One likely will be on the outside looking in.

To say the least, it was a critical game.

“It was huge, definitely a big win,” Washington said. “I’m glad we got this one. It puts us in a great (frame of mind) going forward. I can’t wait to get on the road and battle with those teams, too.”

And the Mavericks are going to have to earn their way into the play-in tournament on the road, where they play their next four games and seven of their final 11, starting Monday in Brooklyn.

“Anytime you get the getaway game before you go on the road feels good,” Kidd said of the importance of the win, which ended a stretch of nine losses in their past 10 games. “We’ll turn the page. We got Brooklyn on Monday and New York on Tuesday, so we’ll catch our breath and then go into a back-to-back. It’s good to go on the road with a win.”

The Mavericks led by 12 early in the fourth quarter, but they have had trouble lately closing out games. Perhaps knowing that, the Pistons closed the gap to 102-98 before Washington drilled a corner three-pointer.

That steadied the Mavericks briefly, but it was going to require poise down the stretch. That’s where the fresh memory of Wednesday night helped.

“Wednesday’s game was on me,” Washington said. “I missed too many free throws. I think we executed better tonight in the last minute and a half. And obviously we won the game. I think guys felt that one in Indiana and didn’t want that to happen again tonight.”

A crucial play came when Dennis Schroder’s three pointer cut the Mavericks’ lead to 114-110. After each team misfired, the Mavericks missed and the ball went out of bounds. Originally, possession was given to Detroit, but the call was overturned when Jason Kidd challenged it and the Mavericks had possession with 1:07 to go.

Dinwiddie was fouled, but made only the second of two free throws for a five-point advantage.

Schroder was fouled with 48 ticks left, with Kai Jones fouling out on the play. Schroder helped out the Mavericks by missing the first of the two freebies. The Mavericks had trouble handling Detroit’s pressure, but ran a smart play that got Washington a clear path to the rim, where he was met and fouled by Cade Cunningham, who had 35 points.

Washington’s free throw (he missed the second) with 36.9 showing made it 116-111. This time, unlike Wednesday, there would be no late meltdown.

Cunningham would slice through the Mavericks twice, but Dinwiddie made two free throws and Brandon Williams converted a three-point play after taking a nice feed from Klay Thompson, who had 20 points, for a 121-115 lead with 16 seconds left to ice it.

All of those late plays required execution, which had been missing 48 hours earlier in Indiana.

And, also important, was the way the Mavericks handled the bigger Pistons in the paint. The Mavericks actually won the rebounding battle, 44-41.

Said Kidd: “We knew we had to come with some physicality. That’s what they do. So I thought we matched it and didn’t back down. They might be a little bigger than us, but being able to rebound and play with some pace, I thought everyone did their part and did it at a high level.”

X: @ESefko