On Wednesday, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic were in their element as they led the Dallas Mavericks to a comfortable 116-93 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Irving led Dallas in scoring with 34 and also provided seven assists and nine rebounds. Doncic dropped 27 points, dished eight assists, and grabbed nine boards in another spectacular outing.
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On the other end of things, Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama put up 26 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished five assists but was powerless in stopping the Mavericks duo from cruising to victory. Legendary head coach Greg Popovich attested the same and credited Doncic and Irving for their spectacular display. In the post-game press conference, he said,
“I thought Luka and Kyrie played like Hall of Fame players. They were fantastic. We couldn’t do anything with them, but also a lot of good things for the young guys that we can build on.”
“I thought Luka and Kyrie played like Hall of Fame players. They were fantastic. We couldn’t do anything with them, but also a lot of good things for the young guys that we can build on,” – Popovich on loss v Mavs #porvida #nba #sanantonio #gospursgo
— JeffGSpursKENS5 (@JeffGSpursZone) February 15, 2024
The Spurs’ young stars, including Wembanyama, were given a free lesson in offensive mastery by Irving and Doncic. The veteran guard left the rookie bamboozled with one of his signature finishes. After breezing past Wembanyama with a ‘hesi’, Irving banked a ridiculous no-look shot that shook the arena.
Kyrie Irving x Victor Wembanyama pic.twitter.com/AatS7CcJ6p
— NBA do Povo (@NBAdoPovo) February 15, 2024
When Doncic and Irving are on song, no player or defensive scheme can hope to contain them, much less stop them. As a result, the Spurs dropped to 11-44 and remain rooted to the bottom of the standings, while the Mavericks improved to 32-23 and sit only one game behind the fifth-placed Phoenix Suns. And given the way they are playing, it may not be long before the Mavericks usurp them as well.
Victor Wembanyama calls out Spurs teammates after loss vs. Mavericks
Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama wasn’t too pleased with his team’s effort in their 23-point loss to the Mavericks. In the post-game press conference, he was asked why the team had such a poor outing, and he replied,
“Making shots, shot making, we weren’t good tonight. It happens.”
“Making shots, shot making, we weren’t good tonight. It happens,” – Wembanyama on loss v Mavs #porvida #nba #sanantonio
— JeffGSpursKENS5 (@JeffGSpursZone) February 15, 2024
Wembanyama is spot on in criticizing the Spurs’ inefficient shooting against the Mavericks. They banked only 36 of their 99 shot attempts, including a disappointing 10-of-40 from beyond the arc. Apart from the rookie, no other starter scored more than 11 points. Despite being the youngest player on the roster, the onus is seemingly always on Wembanyama to carry the Spurs to victory, which is reflected in their 11-44 record.
While the rest of the Spurs roster will embark on a small break, Wembanyama and teammate Jeremy Sochan will head to Indiana for the 2024 All-Star weekend. The former is part of Team Pau, while the latter is in Team Jalen in the Rising Stars tournament. The rookie is also part of Team Top Picks in the Skills Challenge alongside Anthony Edwards and Paolo Banchero.
Wembanyama is averaging 20 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 3.2 blocks. The Spurs rookie is already playing at a high level. Expect him to become a perennial part of the All-Star weekend in the coming years.
