In a thrilling season opener for both teams, Luka Doncic delivered a spectacular triple-double performance to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 126-119 victory, dampening the debut of NBA top draft pick Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.
Doncic, who was cleared to play despite dealing with a left calf strain, put on a remarkable show, contributing 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. Wembanyama, the highly-touted 7-foot-4, 19-year-old forward from France, faced early foul trouble and managed to score 15 points, with the majority of his production coming in the fourth quarter during his 23 minutes on the court.
The Mavericks found themselves trailing by as much as 12 points in the second quarter but made a spirited comeback, reducing the deficit to just four points by halftime. They then surged ahead, carrying a 96-91 lead into the fourth quarter.
The final frame featured a fierce back-and-forth battle, with five ties. However, with 2:09 left in the game, a pair of free throws by the Spurs’ Devin Vassell were countered by a clutch 3-pointer and a layup from the Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving, the latter assisted by Doncic with 1:25 remaining, decisively tipping the scales in favor of the Mavericks.
Doncic’s triple-double in this game marked the 57th of his career, making him the 10th player in NBA history to achieve such a feat and the fifth among active players. Irving chipped in with 22 points, while Tim Hardaway Jr. and Grant Williams added 17 points each. Rookie Dereck Lively II made a significant impact off the bench with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
On the Spurs’ side, Vassell led the scoring with 23 points, while Keldon Johnson contributed 17 points, and Tre Jones added 16 points in a reserve role. Zach Collins and Jeremy Sochan provided 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Wembanyama made a notable entry into the NBA, scoring his first points with a 3-pointer at the 8:24 mark of the first quarter, extending the Spurs’ lead to 13-7. The first quarter ended with San Antonio holding a 43-36 advantage.
The Mavericks evened the score at 52-52 with a three-pointer from Grant Williams with 6:09 left in the second quarter. After several traded baskets, the Spurs went on a 12-0 run, culminating in a jumper and a three-pointer by Vassell, pushing their lead to 68-56 with 1:13 remaining in the half. Dallas responded with a late 8-point surge, with Williams contributing the last six points, including a three-pointer to bring the score to 68-64 at halftime.
Before the break, Doncic led the Mavericks with 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, while Hardaway added 15 points. Vassell was the top scorer for the Spurs, amassing 15 points, and Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson each contributed 10 points in the first half.
