Mavs lean on star duo to coast by Spurs

Field Level Media|published: Wed 14th February, 23:27 2024

Feb 14, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) celebrate during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at the American Airlines Center. credits: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Kyrie Irving poured in 34 points and Luka Doncic added 27 in just three quarters of play as the surging Dallas Mavericks beat the visiting San Antonio Spurs 116-93 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory.

The Mavericks trailed by 15 points in the first quarter but rallied to take charge of the game over the middle two periods, especially in the final five minutes of the second and the first 10 of the third. San Antonio scored 32 points in the first quarter but managed a combined 33 in the second and third.

Both Irving (nine rebounds, seven assists) and Doncic (nine rebounds, eight assists) narrowly missed triple-doubles. Daniel Gafford added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Dallas.

Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 26 points, while Malaki Branham added 13. Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan scored 11 and 10 points, respectively, as San Antonio lost for the eighth time in its past nine games and heads to the All-Star break with just 11 wins, the fewest in the Western Conference.

The Spurs roared out of the gate, leading 26-11 after Tre Jones' layup at the 5:01 mark of the first quarter. But Dallas began to whittle down its deficit, closing to within 32-25 when Doncic hit a baby hook with 25.5 seconds left in the period.

San Antonio was up 50-41 when Blake Wesley scored on a hook shot with 5:44 to play in the second quarter. The Mavericks then reeled off 15 of the final 16 points of the period, with the run headlined by a pair of 3-pointers by Josh Green. Dallas carried a 56-51 advantage into the break after the Spurs missed their final 11 shots of the first half.

Wembanyama led all scorers before halftime with 20 points, while Sochan added 10.

Irving paced Dallas with 17 points with Doncic hitting for 15 in the first half, 13 of those in the first quarter. The Mavericks outshot San Antonio 50 percent to 38 percent over the first 24 minutes of the game.

Dallas put the game away in the third quarter, when it outscored the Spurs by 18 points to take an 88-65 advantage into the final period.

—Field Level Media

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