It hasn’t been a great start to the season for Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. After two quick losses to start, they desperately needed a win today to get back on track and avoid digging themselves into an early hole. Fortunately, there were a few things working in their favor tonight, en route to a 122-106 victory. Besides playing the Dallas Mavericks (a projected lottery team), they didn’t have to worry about Cooper Flagg or Kyrie Irving, who were ruled out before tip-off.
Victor Wembanyama led all scorers and was arguably the best player on the floor tonight with 23 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, and four blocks on 50.0% shooting from the field, including 2-6 from downtown. Dylan Harper, meanwhile, contributed 22 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals on 50.0% shooting (3-8 from three). De’Aaron Fox also had a solid outing, adding 19 points, three rebounds, nine assists, three steals, and one block on 54.5% shooting.
For the Mavericks, Sergio de Larrea was the lone bright spot, finishing with 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists on 60.0% shooting from the field (3-4 from three). Zaccharie Risacher tallied 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks on 50.0% shooting from the field (1-3 from three), while Daniel Gafford dropped 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocks on 66.7% shooting.
Since the season is still so young, it’s not wise to make any final judgments for any team, but every game gives us another glimpse at how they stack up to the competition. In the Spurs’ case, their latest victory was far from the cleanest, but there are a number of positive takeaways to be had from the performance. Here are three of them:
1. Victor Has Found His Groove Again
Spurs fans covered their eyes on Tuesday, when Wembanaya went for just 12 points on 7.7% shooting from the field. It was arguably one of the worst performances of his career, and against the same team they had just beaten a few months before. The good news is that the game was seemingly a fluke, as the Spurs center has returned to his usual dominant form. Tonight, in 28 minutes, he tallied 23 points, seven rebounds, and two assists on 50.0% shooting.
Not only was Victor in a steady rhythm offensively, but he was at his peak on the other end as well, contesting shots around the rim and being a defensive anchor for his team. The Mavericks had no answer for his presence on the floor, giving the Spurs free control of the paint, where they grabbed 15 offensive rebounds. Between tonight’s showing and the 25-point against the Rockets, it’s fair to say Victor has picked up right where he left off last season.
2. The Harper-Fox Backcourt Can Work
By all accounts, the Spurs weren’t planning to start a three-guard lineup, but Harper’s ascension demanded a bigger role on the team. That’s why, in just his second NBA season, he’s starting for the Spurs, leading some to predict a clash with fellow guard De’Aaron Fox. But with both players going off in today’s win, it’s proof that they can start together without any problems.
The key to making it work is letting Fox act as the primary playmaker to set up Harper and other teammates for easy looks. Against the Mavericks, their chemistry was a work of art as they controlled the pace of the game, combining for 31 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists, five steals, and one block on 15-29 shooting from the field. It’s just a small sample size, of course, but it gives hope that the Spurs can succeed with this core.
3. Glimpses Of Greatness In The Fourth
The game was really anyone’s to take until the final quarter of action. That’s when the Spurs showed us who they are at their best, and the result was beautiful. As they upped the intensity down the stretch, they tightened the screws defensively, holding the Mavs to just 17 points in the last 12 minutes to seal the win. They played with poise and purpose, taking care of the ball and making all the right decisions to close the deal.
Most impressive was the fact that many of their best minutes came with Victor Wembanyama off the floor. In his absence, bench players like Tarris Reed Jr., Julian Champagnie, and Keldon Johnson picked up the slack, providing a spark that helped the Spurs seize control. Ultimately, that fourth quarter is what won the Spurs the game, and it’s reflective of the team we saw make a run to the Finals back in June.