Mavs vs Spurs Recap

The no-Luka Doncic Mavs are here in there first full season, let's recap how they did against their division rivals: The San Antonio Spurs

• The Mavericks got absolutely run off the floor, losing 125–92 to the Spurs. Mavs Moneyball+2The Sun+2

• The Spurs’ young star Victor Wembanyama exploded: 40 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks, dominating both ends of the court. The Sun+1

• Dallas started strong—jumped out to a 6–2 lead early—but then the wheels came off as San Antonio orchestrated a 12–2 run and never really looked back. Mavs Moneyball

• Foul trouble and bad rotations compounded things. Guys like Dereck Lively II and Anthony Davis picked up early fouls that limited their effectiveness and disrupted the Mavs’ flow. Mavs Moneyball

Why it stings as a Mavs fan

• Defensive collapse: Giving up 125 points at home to a team you want to compete with simply won’t cut it. Wembanyama was allowed to do whatever he wanted.

• Lack of urgency/response: After the early lead, Dallas didn’t appear to have an answer once the Spurs started rolling. No run of their own, no sustained pushback.

• Rotational/discipline issues: The foul trouble and questionable subs meant the Mavs were playing reacting, not executing a game plan.

• Symbolic of deeper concerns: If this opener is any hint, there may be bigger issues — chemistry, depth, coaching decisions — than just a “bad game.”

Some glimmers (as frustrating as they are)

• It’s the first game of the season — room to rebound, obviously.

• Some individual efforts and flashes of potential still exist. The roster has talent, and sometimes bad nights can serve as wake-up calls.

• As a fan: If this team can use this loss as an angstful motivator rather than a recurring pattern, there’s value in the crash.

📊 Key Stats

• Final score: Spurs 125, Mavericks 92. The Times of India+4ESPN.com+4Pounding The Rock+4

• For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama absolutely exploded: 40 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks, shooting 15-21 from the field in his return. Pounding The Rock+2Sportskeeda+2

• For the Mavericks, rookie Cooper Flagg made his debut: 10 points, 10 rebounds. Sportskeeda+1

• Game flow: Mavs started with a slight lead (29-28 after Q1) but fell off a cliff thereafter. ESPN.com+2FOX Sports+2

🚩 What went wrong (from the Mavs’ perspective)

• Defensive breakdown: Wembanyama had a field day. When your opponent is putting up 40 & 15 and you still lose by 33, that’s a sign.

• Momentum loss: Mavs got off to a decent start, but let the Spurs take over in Q2 and beyond. After building to 29-28, things unraveled.

• Mismatch issues & foul trouble (per recaps): The Mavs bigs struggled to contain Wembanyama and the rotations didn’t compensate well. The rookie Flagg got his 10/10 but obviously struggled in other areas (shooting 4-13) per some recaps. Sportskeeda+1

• Offensive stagnation: When the game got away, the Mavs didn’t mount a sustained comeback run. The offense lacked enough firepower or cohesion to claw back.