Spurs beat short-handed Mavericks 122-106 for first win as Wembanyama scores 23 and Harper adds 22

The San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 122-106 at American Airlines Center on Saturday night (US time; tip-off midnight GMT Sunday 25 October) for their first win of the season. Victor Wembanyama had 23 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, and Dylan Harper scored 22, according to AP and the ESPN box score.

AP said the win meant the Spurs avoided their first 0-3 start since 2008-09, after defeats to Oklahoma City on Tuesday and Houston in Austin on Friday. Both teams are 1-2.

Score by quarter (ESPN): Spurs 32-36-24-30, Mavericks 31-29-29-17.

Fourth-quarter run

The Spurs let a 14-point lead slip in the third quarter, then opened the fourth with a 17-5 run in the first six minutes and outscored Dallas 30-17 in the quarter, AP reported. San Antonio had 15 offensive rebounds and outscored the Mavericks 25-10 on second-chance points.

Wembanyama scored one point until midway through the second quarter, then had two alley-oop dunks within two minutes and reached half-time with 12, according to AP. De’Aaron Fox (nine assists) and Stephon Castle (eight assists) scored 19 each.

Mavericks without Flagg and Irving

Dallas played without Cooper Flagg, who AP said has a shoulder injury from Friday’s win at Indiana and will be re-evaluated next week, and Kyrie Irving, who did not play the second game of a back-to-back. Rookie Sergio de Larrea led the Mavericks with 21 points off the bench, going 3 of 4 from three-point range; the five Dallas starters scored 50 points combined, led by P.J. Washington’s 12.

AP, citing the Elias Sports Bureau, said Dallas’ 46 first-half points in the paint were a franchise high in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98).

The Spurs host Sacramento on Tuesday (US time), and the Mavericks play at Miami on Monday.

See also: Thunder beat Spurs 116-104 in conference-finals rematch. Our report on the night’s other headline game: Nuggets beat Pelicans 141-135 in overtime.

Other NBA results

All results from Saturday 24 October (US time), according to ESPN box scores and AP reports.

• Phoenix Suns 131, Golden State Warriors 122: Devin Booker scored 43 points on 17-of-25 shooting, with seven rebounds and seven assists, and Miles Bridges added 16. AP said the Warriors, playing for the third time in four days and resting Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski and Al Horford, are 0-3 for the first time in 19 years. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored 26 with six three-pointers and De’Anthony Melton 25. Phoenix are 1-1.
• Philadelphia 76ers 127, Milwaukee Bucks 116: Joel Embiid had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and Jaylen Brown scored 27 on his 30th birthday as Philadelphia went 3-0. LeBron James was ruled out with lower back pain management, AP said. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the Bucks (0-3) with 21.
• Houston Rockets 121, Atlanta Hawks 114: Kevin Durant scored 22, and Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason 19 each, as Houston made their first 3-0 start since 2017-18, AP said. Jalen Johnson had 26 points and a career-high-equalling 16 assists for Atlanta (2-1) in their home opener.
• Cleveland Cavaliers 125, Brooklyn Nets 121: Donovan Mitchell scored 22, Jarrett Allen 21 and Evan Mobley had 20 points and 10 rebounds in Cleveland’s home opener. Brooklyn cut a 17-point deficit with four minutes left to 123-121 with 8.1 seconds remaining; Michael Porter Jr. scored 28 for the Nets (0-2).
• Washington Wizards 124, Chicago Bulls 120: Trae Young had 25 points and nine assists and Kyshawn George 22. Washington outscored Chicago 40-20 in the third quarter. Rookie Caleb Wilson had 30 points and 14 rebounds, his first double-double, for the Bulls. No. 1 draft pick AJ Dybantsa missed the game with a sprained left ankle, AP said.
• Charlotte Hornets 115, Miami Heat 110: Brandon Miller scored 34 points a night after a 128-81 home defeat by Atlanta, and Dennis Schroder added 25. Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to 14 points and fouled out with 1:57 left, AP reported; Davion Mitchell led Miami (0-3) with 22 points and 10 assists.