Victor Wembanyama delivered another dominant performance on Friday night, scoring 40 points and grabbing 13 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 139-120 at Frost Bank Center. The win came in Wembanyama’s 65th game, making him eligible for season-long NBA awards.
The 7-foot-4 star wasted no time setting the tone. He powered through three defenders for a right-handed dunk on the opening possession, then added another dunk and a step-back 3-pointer while putting up 16 points in the first quarter alone.
San Antonio got strong support behind him. De’Aaron Fox finished with 18 points and 10 assists, while Keldon Johnson added 17 points as the Spurs kept their foot on the gas from start to finish.
The result sealed the Southwest Division title for San Antonio, its first since 2017, and confirmed the Spurs as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. They will open the playoffs against the winner of the play-in tournament, with Phoenix, the Los Angeles Clippers or Portland still in the mix.
Wembanyama’s 40-point night was his fifth of the season and came after he also opened the year with a 40-point game against Dallas. Even after missing Wednesday’s win over Portland with a left rib contusion, he looked fully in rhythm against a Mavericks team that could never find a defensive answer.
Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with 33 points, six rebounds and five assists, but the visitors lost for the 11th time in 13 games. Khris Middleton added 14 points and Ryan Nembhard scored 13, yet the Mavericks’ 38 percent shooting from three-point range was not enough to keep pace.
San Antonio controlled the game on both ends, shooting 54 percent from the field and 41 percent from deep. The Spurs also hit 26 of 27 free throws, a clean finishing touch in a game that turned into a showcase for their star center.
The Mavericks, who were without several regular contributors, are set to host Chicago on Sunday. San Antonio closes the regular season at home against Denver on Sunday before turning to the postseason.
