The San Antonio Spurs now finally have a win. On Saturday night in Dallas, they beat the Mavericks 122-106 and avoided what would have been their first 0-3 start since 2008-09. It was not pretty for the first three quarters but then a strong fourth quarter settled everything.
Both teams now sit at 1-2, but the mood in each locker room is very different.
Dallas Mavericks had to face reigning Defensive Player of the Year called Victor Wembanyama without its two main stars. That made this, one of the more interesting early-season games in the league.
How the Game Played Out
The Spurs came in tired. They had lost to Oklahoma City on Tuesday and to Houston on Friday, so this was the second night of a back-to-back. Their early play showed it in the form of shots missed, passes slipped, and the Mavericks stayed close.
Dallas was tired too. The Mavericks had won 121-105 at Indiana the night before, giving May his first NBA win. Flying home and playing again a day later left them short on energy late, and May said as much afterward.
Dallas was missing its two biggest names. Kyrie Irving sat out to rest, and last season’s Rookie of the Year, Cooper Flagg, was out with a shoulder injury. Even so, the Mavericks scored 46 points in the first half, a franchise high since 1997-98.
Spurs led 68-60 at halftime and built a 14-point cushion in the third quarter. Dallas Mavericks then fought back and trailed by only three entering the fourth.
That is when the Spurs took over. They ripped off a 17-5 run in the first six minutes and won the final quarter 30-17. Spurs fans, who travelled in good numbers, were cheering loudest by the final buzzer.
This rivalry has a recent pattern. Wembanyama scored 40 against Dallas in last year’s opener, spoiling Flagg’s debut in a 125-92 rout. He hit 40 again in an April win. Spurs has now opened three straight seasons against the Mavericks.
Standout Players and Key Numbers
Victor Wembanyama had a slow start, scoring just one point until midway through the second quarter. Then he woke up. Two alley-oop dunks came within two minutes, and he finished the half with 12.
He ended with 23 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks. He shot 9-of-18 and was a game-best plus-32 in about 29 minutes.
Rookie Dylan Harper added 22 points, hitting three of his eight three-pointers. De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle each scored 19. Fox also handed out nine assists, and Castle had eight.
The Spurs won the hustle stats too. They grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and outscored Dallas 25-10 on second-chance points. They also turned Dallas mistakes into 26 points.
Devin Vassell chipped in 11 points and six assists. His steady play helped the Spurs stay calm whenever Dallas pushed back.
Dallas Mavericks used a zone defence at times, and Dusty May explained the cost. He said San Antonio’s offensive rebounds ignited its late run, which is the trade-off of playing zone. In the end, those extra chances wore Dallas down.
For Dallas, the story was 20-year-old rookie Sergio de Larrea. He scored 21 points off the bench, made three of his four three-pointers, and played 33 minutes. P.J. Washington led the starters with 12, and the five starters combined for just 50.
What the Coaches and Players Said
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson was not in a celebrating mood, even after the win. “Our floor right now is way too low,” he said. He wants his talented young group to play harder for longer.
Mavericks coach Dusty May praised his rookie guard. “I thought he was great,” May said of de Larrea. He added that the young players will take plenty of lessons from the night.
May also spoke about the challenge of facing Wembanyama. He called the Spurs star “one of one,” meaning there is simply no one else like him. It was the new coach’s home debut, one night after he earned his first NBA win in Indiana.
De Larrea kept things humble. He said the Mavericks’ bench has a team-first attitude. “All of us can do great performances,” he said, and the group is simply trying to help one another.
What It Means for Both Teams
For San Antonio, the win takes some pressure off. The Spurs went 62-19 last season and carry real hopes of a deep run. A third straight loss would have stirred early worry, so this result keeps the mood steady.
Still, the performance leaves questions. The Spurs lacked energy early, and Johnson himself admitted the team has not been consistent. Fans also keep asking for more post-ups for Wembanyama, a debate that is not going away soon.
For Dallas, the loss stings but offers hope. The Mavericks competed without their two best players, and young names like de Larrea showed they can step up. Dallas has bigger tests ahead once Flagg and Irving return.
For the Mavericks, the big question is how quickly Flagg and Irving return, and how well the bench holds up until then. These teams will meet three more times this NBA season, so expect this rivalry to keep growing. The Spurs have taken the early edge. The Mavs have a quiet confidence that they can push back.
