Victor Wembanyama delivered a masterful performance following his recent injury layoff, putting up 40 points and grabbing 13 rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a commanding 139-120 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night in their second-to-last regular season matchup.
The impressive win pushed the Spurs’ record to 62-19, securing them the Western Conference’s second playoff seed ahead of the April 18 postseason start. San Antonio has been nearly unstoppable lately, capturing 14 victories in their last 15 outings. Their 62-win campaign marks their best performance since posting 67 wins during the 2015-16 season and ranks as the third-highest total in team history.
The French phenom also contributed five assists and two blocks before heading to the bench for good with 8:35 remaining in the final quarter, as San Antonio held a comfortable 120-100 cushion. The Spurs coasted through the closing minutes, expanding their advantage to 24 points while completing a perfect 4-0 season series against Dallas.
De’Aaron Fox chipped in 18 points and 10 assists for San Antonio, while Keldon Johnson contributed 17 points. Harrison Barnes added 15, Julian Champagnie scored 14, Dylan Harper posted 13, and Carter Bryant finished with 12 points.
Cooper Flagg paced the struggling Mavericks (25-56) with 33 points, followed by Max Christie’s 16. Khris Middleton contributed 14 points, while Ryan Nembhard and AJ Johnson each scored 13, and John Poulakidas added 12. Dallas was mathematically eliminated from playoff contention long ago.
Wembanyama, who had missed a game and a half due to a left rib injury and needed at least 20 minutes of court time to meet the NBA’s 65-game threshold for postseason honors, came out firing early. He netted 11 of San Antonio’s first 15 points and closed the opening quarter with 16 points, five boards, and one block as the Spurs built a 37-26 edge.
Dallas fought back in the second quarter, seizing a 63-62 lead when Middleton drained a three-pointer with 1:47 left before intermission, capping a 15-2 surge. Wembanyama responded by scoring six of the final eight points before halftime, giving San Antonio a 68-65 lead at the break.
Flagg topped all scorers with 25 first-half points while Christie added 13 for the visitors. Wembanyama’s 24 points led the Spurs, with all nine San Antonio players who entered the game contributing at least two points.
The Mavericks briefly regained the lead at 81-79 following Flagg’s layup with 7:55 left in the third quarter, but San Antonio answered with a devastating 20-4 run over the next five and a half minutes to seize control for good. The Spurs carried a 108-93 advantage into the final period.
