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nov 05 2026Some nights exhaust the superlatives, and Wembanyama's performance against the Mavericks was one of them. The French center set career highs in points, rebounds, and blocks in the same game, carrying the Spurs to their sixth straight victory. It came down to the final possession: Kyrie Irving's shot missed at the buzzer.
A record-setting first half
Wembanyama scored 10 of his team's first 12 points, with two dunks and six free throws, and closed the first quarter with 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks (26-32). When he sat down three minutes into the second quarter, the Mavericks went on a 12-1 run and pulled within one (49-48). His return changed everything: the Spurs closed the first half with a 19-3 run, featuring a sequence where Wembanyama blocked three shots on the same possession, and headed to the locker room up 68-51. At halftime, he had 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks—something no player had achieved in a half since play-by-play records began (1996-97).
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The Mavericks nearly pull it off
After halftime, the Spurs' offense stalled, shooting 5 of 36 from three-point range for the entire game, and Dallas chipped away: outscored San Antonio 29-22 in the third quarter and 31-22 in the fourth. Kyrie Irving (29 points) and Naji Marshall (22, perfect on all three of his three-pointers) carried the Mavericks to the finish. Wembanyama kept his team afloat with two baskets off offensive rebounds in the final two minutes, though he made just one of four free throws in that stretch. With three seconds remaining, Irving rose for a well-defended mid-range shot that didn't fall.
Dylan Harper (21 points) and Stephon Castle (17 points and 10 rebounds) completed San Antonio's victory. For Dallas, PJ Washington added 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Cooper Flagg posted a double-double of 19 and 10.
Aldama will have to wait
Santi Aldama, recovered from his knee surgery and listed as questionable, did not play. Neither did Sergio de Larrea, who remains sidelined with a right ankle sprain. The Mavericks host the Jazz on Friday, the next opportunity for the Spanish player's debut.
