Kyrie Irving and Daniel Gafford led the Dallas Mavericks to a 110-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, breaking a four-game losing streak. The Spurs were missing their star center Victor Wembanyama, who was out with a bruised right knee. In his absence, Zach Collins stepped up and scored a season-high 20 points for the Spurs.
Gafford had a standout performance, scoring a season-high 22 points, while Irving also contributed 22 points after missing the previous game due to a shoulder sprain. Mavericks’ star Luka Doncic had a relatively quiet night with 16 points, but still managed to make an impact with six rebounds and six assists.
Dallas took advantage of Wembanyama’s absence, dominating the paint and outscoring the Spurs 46-22 inside through the first three quarters. The turning point came in the second quarter when Gafford’s block led to a crucial layup by Naji Marshall that gave the Mavericks the lead for good.
The Mavericks continued their strong performance in the third quarter, outscoring the Spurs 38-18 and shooting an impressive 59.1% from the field compared to the Spurs’ 22.7%. This win was a much-needed boost for the Mavericks after their recent losing streak.
Looking ahead, the Spurs will be starting a three-game homestand against Oklahoma City, while the Mavericks have a back-to-back game against the same opponent. It will be interesting to see if the Mavericks can carry the momentum from this victory into their upcoming games and if the Spurs can bounce back from this tough loss without Wembanyama in the lineup.