DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks showed flashes of offensive firepower Saturday night but could not sustain their momentum over four quarters, falling 122-106 to the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center.
Dallas finished with 106 points despite shooting 51.1% from the field, but San Antonio’s late surge proved decisive. The Spurs outscored the Mavericks 30-17 in the fourth quarter, turning a competitive contest into a 16-point victory.
The loss dropped Dallas to 1-2 on the season, while San Antonio earned its first win.
Rookie Sergio de Larrea delivered the biggest individual performance for the Mavericks, finishing with a career-high 21 points, five rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes off the bench. He shot 9 of 15 from the field and connected on three of his four attempts from 3-point range.
De Larrea provided a much-needed offensive spark for a Dallas team missing Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. His performance offered an encouraging sign as the Mavericks look for additional scoring options early in the season.
Dallas Makes History in the Paint
The Mavericks found success attacking the basket, finishing with a season-high 62 points in the paint against a San Antonio defense that ranked among the NBA’s best in that category last season.
Dallas was particularly effective in the opening half, scoring 46 of its 60 points in the paint. That total established a franchise record for points in the paint in a single half during the play-by-play era, which dates to the 1997-98 season.
The Mavericks also continued an impressive trend from the field. Their 45-for-88 shooting performance marked their third consecutive game shooting at least 50% from the floor, extending the franchise record for consecutive games reaching that mark to begin a season.
However, offensive efficiency alone was not enough to overcome San Antonio’s ability to generate extra possessions and deliver in the closing minutes.
Dallas received a major contribution from its reserves, who combined for 56 points — the team’s highest bench total of the season.
Wembanyama Leads San Antonio
Victor Wembanyama paced the Spurs with 23 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. The San Antonio big man continued to make his presence felt defensively, recording at least four blocks for the 80th time in his career.
Rookie Dylan Harper added 22 points, while De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle contributed 19 points apiece to help San Antonio pull away.
The Spurs took advantage of their opportunities on the offensive glass, collecting 15 offensive rebounds and producing a 25-10 advantage in second-chance points. That difference helped offset Dallas’ strong shooting and success in transition.
San Antonio’s defense tightened when it mattered most, limiting the Mavericks to 17 points in the fourth quarter after Dallas had remained within striking distance through the first three periods.
Gafford, Sasser Provide Support
Daniel Gafford finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks, coming one rebound short of a double-double. His defensive activity gave Dallas another contributor on a night when the Mavericks needed production throughout the lineup.
Marcus Sasser added 12 points and continued his early-season perimeter shooting success, making two 3-pointers. Jett Howard also made his Mavericks debut, scoring five points on 2-of-3 shooting.
Despite those contributions, Dallas could not match San Antonio’s late execution.
The Mavericks will look to regroup Monday when they travel to face the Miami Heat, aiming to turn their promising offensive stretches into a more complete performance.
