Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavs Spoil Victor Wembanyama's NBA Debut With Win vs. San Antonio Spurs
SAN ANTONIO — With much of the external focus in the Dallas Mavericks' regular season opener being on Victor Wembanyama making his much anticipated NBA debut, the result was a 126-119 win. The Mavs improved to 1-0 on the season.
“It was fun,” Luka Doncic said. “We knew the whole building was going to be loud. He’s probably one of the best prospects to enter the NBA. It was fun. For me, personally, I love challenges. So, that was a fun challenge.”
After deploying rookie Dereck Lively II as the starting center for all four of the Mavs' preseason games, the Mavs opted to start Maxi Kleber at the five. Last season, Dallas most frequently utilized Dwight Powell in that role, but anticipation had built for Lively to take over that role potentially.
Despite the Mavs' goal of being a much-improved team on defense this season, their personnel choices in the first quarter didn't get it done, allowing the Spurs to score 43 points. San Antonio converted from 3-point range at a high clip and found success having jumbo personnel with Jeremy Sochan playing the one and Wembanyama at the four to switch and protect the paint.
With Doncic on the floor early in the second quarter, the Mavs began to rally back after allowing such an explosive initial period of offense for the Spurs. Dallas tied the game 52-52 midway through the second period.
“We just locked down on it,” Lively said. “We feel like there were a lot of long rebounds (and) a lot of missed opportunities. There was miscommunication (and) a lot of back door cuts and cuts to the rim. I feel as the game went on, we were just making sure we were locked down on that so that we could be able to walk out with a win.”
However, after a pair of made 3s from Devin Vassell, the Spurs took a game-high 12-point lead late in the second quarter. Dallas responded before the break, with Grant Williams scoring six of the team's following eight points. San Antonio led 68-64 at halftime.
After halftime, the Mavs started with Lively on the floor, and he provided a needed spark as a play-finisher in the paint. He finished an alley-oop dunk after a pass by Irving to give Dallas a 75-74 lead midway through the third quarter. While both teams traded field goals, the Mavs led 96-91 entering the final period.
Doncic was aggressive in looking to score to set the tone for the Mavs early in the final period, scoring in the paint on a drive and converting a mid-range turnaround jumper. The Slovenian superstar managed to draw Wembanyama's fifth foul in the process, but regardless, the Spurs held firm to lead 101-100 with 8:16 left to play.
“One of the toughest things for a player is you get into foul trouble,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “You never get in a rhythm and you’re in and out of the game and that sort of thing. So, I thought his maturity showed even at a young age where he came in with the last, I think, seven minutes and just played.”
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic gets trapped by San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama and Jeremy Sochan.
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Irving attacked the paint to execute an and-one, giving the Mavs a two-point advantage, then Williams converted from 3 to push the Mavericks' lead to 108-103 over the Spurs with 7:12 remaining in regulation.
“It was a hall of fame performance like (Doncic) does almost every night,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “He was great. Kyrie wasn’t bad either. So, the two future hall of famers got us."
Wembanyama began to produce some electric plays that showed how tantalizing facing a 7-foot-4 threat can pose, between finishing a lob through contact and playing out of a transition post seal. Williams once again helped the Mavs to regain momentum with a corner 3 with 4:10 left in regulation, putting the Mavs up 115-113.
After an air-ball from 3 by Kleber, the Spurs scored three unanswered points to take a slight lead before Doncic used a slow-step layup for an and-one. After making the free throw, the Mavs took a 118-117 lead with 2:28 remaining to play.
Doncic continued to make big plays, connecting with Irving for a corner 3, then threw a bounce pass in transition for a finish. The final dagger came from Doncic on a step-back 3 with 28.9 seconds left of game action, creating a 126-119 edge for the Mavs.
After finishing with 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists, Doncic produced a triple-double in his first performance. He was considered questionable to play after dealing with a calf strain and only practicing during the two days before the Mavs traveled to San Antonio.
There was no shortage of quality individual outings for the Mavs in addition to Doncic. After picking his spots throughout the game, Irving totaled 22 points and six assists, with four additional double-figure scorers. Lively totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds in his first NBA game, setting the tone as a play finisher and paint protector.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 15 of 17 points in the first half to provide an early spark. Grant Williams made many timely shots from 3, scoring 17 points with four made triples. The Mavs hoisted up 47 attempts from deep on the night, with both players' seven makes combining for nearly half of the team's 15 made shots.
Despite being deployed in the starting lineup, Jones played 12 minutes compared to Josh Green, who logged 29. Green racked up 11 points, two rebounds, and two steals, often relied on to make hustle plays.
The Mavs return home for a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday at American Airlines Center.
