2024-10-25 15:20:06
The San Antonio Spurs visited the Dallas Mavericks for their second straight season opener against the in-state rival. After a cold shooting first half, the Mavs exploded for 73 second-half points as they blew out the Spurs 120-109.
Dallas shot just 26.3% from three in the first half but hit 14 second-half threes on their way to shooting 43.2% from deep for the game. Even in the first half, when the Spurs were leading, it felt like the game was teetering on the edge of the Mavericks pulling away. San Antonio struggled with turnovers, coughing the ball up 19 times. Dallas was overall the more physical team, pounding the Spurs on the offensive glass and grabbing 17 rebounds on that end.
Jeremy Sochan and Julian Champagnie led the Spurs in scoring with 18 points a piece. All-Star Luka Doncic led all scorers in a near triple-double, putting up 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. San Antonio will look to bounce back at home against the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Observations
- Victor Wembanyama looked rusty in the season opener. He finished with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 turnovers. The Mavericks played physically with the big man all night, ultimately disrupting his rhythm. Wembanyama was forced to take difficult shots from deep, where he made 1 of his 8 shots. It may take a few games for Victor to get his legs underneath him after barely playing in the preseason.
- Sochan continued to play well after having a strong preseason. Not only did he lead the team with 18 points, but he was aggressive in the paint, picking up 6 rebounds. No one in the NBA can guard Doncic one-on-one, but Sochan did a pretty good job taking him out of his rhythm when guarding in isolation.
- Harrison Barnes kept the Spurs in the game during the first half. He finished with 17 points, 14 of them coming in the first half. Barnes was an efficient 7-10 from the field and provided a solid outlet for San Antonio at the three-point line, where he made 2 of his 5 threes.
- Chris Paul did about what you would expect from him in his Spurs debut. He controlled the offense and helped the Spurs stay organized during the Mavericks hot shooting stretch. He had 3 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds in the loss.
- Champagnie stuffed the stat sheet as he filled in for Devin Vassell in the starting lineup. He had 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal. He was aggressive on defense and the boards, shot 4-8 from three, and attacked the rim for a few buckets. He looks extremely comfortable in his new role.
- Stephon Castle only played 17 minutes in his rookie debut but had 8 points and 5 assists in a solid showing. He continued to get downhill and find his teammates with some nice passes.
