Dallas – In a lively opening night at the American Airlines Center, the San Antonio Spurs secured a 122-106 victory over the Mavericks, who were missing two of their marquee players. Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio with 23 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, while rookie Dylan Harper added 22 points.
Key performances
De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle each contributed 19 points for the Spurs, helping the team avoid a 0‑3 start for the first time since the 2008‑09 season. The Mavericks’ top scorer was rookie Sergio de Larrea, who poured in 21 points off the bench, shooting 3‑of‑4 from beyond the arc. Among the five Mavericks starters, P.J. Washington led with 12 points.
Injuries and absences
The Mavericks were without Cooper Flagg, the previous season’s Rookie of the Year, who suffered a shoulder injury during Dallas’ win at Indiana on Friday and will be reevaluated next week. Nine‑time All‑Star Kyrie Irving also sat out the second night of the back‑to‑back, returning this season after a 19‑month recovery from a torn ACL.
Game flow
San Antonio built a 14‑point lead in the third quarter but briefly saw it slip before opening the final period with a decisive 17‑5 run in the first six minutes. The Spurs outscored Dallas 30‑17 in that quarter, and fans filled the arena as the home team rallied.
Wembanyama started slowly, scoring only one point until midway through the second period, then exploded with two alley‑oop dunks within two minutes and finished the half with 12 points. The Spurs also dominated the glass, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds and converting 25 second‑chance points to 10 for the Mavericks.
Notable statistics
Dallas posted a franchise‑high 46 points in the paint during the first half, the most ever recorded in the play‑by‑play era (since 1997‑98), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Looking ahead
The Spurs will host the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, while the Mavericks travel to Miami on Monday for their next matchup.
All information is sourced from the Associated Press.
Original reporting: Dallas – Ft. Worth Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
