Dallas shot better than the Spurs on Saturday night. 51.1% to 47.5%.
Didn’t matter. San Antonio took 13 more shots.
The Spurs beat the Mavericks 122-106 on Saturday, Oct. 24, at American Airlines Center in Dallas, in front of 19,555, per the NBA.com box score. It’s the first win of the season after losses to Oklahoma City and Houston. Both teams are now 1-2.
Where the extra shots came from
Ándale, let’s look at the numbers. Dallas turned it over 18 times. The Spurs turned it over 12. San Antonio had 12 steals and 8 blocks. That’s how you shoot 48-for-101 while the other team goes 45-for-88: you just get more turns.
The ball moved, too: 34 assists to Dallas’s 29.
The fourth quarter
It was close for three quarters. The Spurs led 68-60 at the half, then Dallas won the third 29-24 and cut it to 92-89.
Then the fourth: Spurs 30, Mavericks 17. No manches.
The stat lines
Six Spurs scored in double figures, and the chart shows how even it was.
- Victor Wembanyama: 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks on 9-of-18 in just 29 minutes. Plus-minus: +32. Bro, ¿qué?
- Dylan Harper: 22 points on 9-of-18, 3-of-8 from deep, in 28 minutes.
- De’Aaron Fox: 19 points, 9 assists, 3 steals, +25.
- Stephon Castle: 19 points, 8 assists, 3 steals.
- Julian Champagnie had 12 and 3 blocks; Devin Vassell had 11 points, 6 assists and zero turnovers.
For Dallas, Sergio de Larrea led with 21 on 9-of-15. Daniel Gafford had 12 and 9 rebounds. The Mavericks got to the line just eight times and made five.
Next up is the home crowd: the Kings come to Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7:00 p.m. Central.
Stay hydrated, stay curious, stay off 410 at 5pm. — Nico