DALLAS, TX - FEBRUARY 14: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks drives inside as Tre Jones #33 of the San Antonio Spurs defends in the first half at American Airlines Center on February 14, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Ron Jenkins/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Ron Jenkins / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Kyrie Irving scored 34 points, Luka Doncic had 27 before exiting early in the fourth period, and the Dallas Mavericks rallied from an early 15-point hole to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 116-93 on Wednesday.
Doncic exited three minutes into the fourth quarter, clutching his neck. A team spokeswoman confirmed that Doncic, who also had nine rebounds and eight assists in 31 minutes, underwent treatment.
The game was both teams’ penultimate before the NBA All-Star break, with the Mavericks (32-23) winning their sixth consecutive and the Spurs (11-44) losing for the eighth time in nine games.
In his belated Dallas debut, Spurs youngster Victor Wembanyama scored 26 points (20 in the first half), grabbed nine rebounds, and blocked three shots. He was a late scratch for the Spurs’ first trip to American Airlines Center in late December after spraining his ankle during warmups by tripping on a ball boy’s foot.
Dallas outscored San Antonio 15-1 to lead 56-51 at halftime, then went on a 26-7 run to start the third quarter. The Mavericks lead by 29 points.
Irving scored 17 points in the second quarter, making 8 of 10 shots after going scoreless in the first period and missing three. Midway through the third quarter, he drove the left baseline into Wembanyama and flipped a shot over the 7-foot-3 center, leaving the youngster shaking his head.
“Victor didn’t know what to do,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd explained. “Kai knew exactly what he was doing.”
“The big fella just came over and said that was a lucky shot,” Irving was quoted as saying.
The Spurs shot 44.2% in the first quarter, making 4 of 10 3-pointers and taking a 15-point advantage. After that, they shot 33.3% and were 6 of 30 from behind the arc.
“In today’s league, you can’t be 10 for 40 (on 3-pointers) and have a decent chance of winning a game,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “On top of that, I thought Luka and Kyrie, you know, they played like Hall of Fame players.”
Wembanyama finished his second triple-double with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and an NBA-season-high 10 blocks in a 23-point victory over Toronto on Monday.
When asked about Wembanyama’s dropoff after the first period on Wednesday, Popovich replied, “You’re treating him like I used to treat David (Robinson, the Hall of Famer). ‘Hey, David! Come on! (Wembanyama) had 26 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks, and you’re upset with him. “Come on.
Dereck Lively II returned to the Mavericks lineup after missing seven games with a fractured nose, wearing a protective mask. Lively scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.
Dallas’ Daniel Gafford, acquired from Washington at the trade deadline, recorded his second consecutive double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
