Victor Wembanyama fueled the San Antonio Spurs to their first win of the season, scoring 23 points to help defeat the short-handed Dallas Mavericks 122-106. The Saturday matchup, which marked the second of back-to-back games for both squads, saw Wembanyama add seven rebounds and four blocks to his scoring total.
The Spurs received significant offensive contributions from Dylan Harper, who recorded 22 points, while De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle chipped in 19 points apiece.
Julian Champagnie added 12 points off the bench, and Devin Vassell contributed 11. Rookie Sergio De Larrea led the Mavericks with 21 points. Other key contributors for Dallas included Marcus Sasser, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford, who each scored 12 points, alongside Zaccharie Risacher’s 11 and 10 points from Naji Marshall.
San Antonio held a 68-60 lead at halftime, bolstered by 15 points from Fox, 12 from Wembanyama, and 11 from Castle. Despite the Spurs opening a 14-point lead early in the third, Dallas mounted a comeback to briefly move ahead 85-84. Late three-pointers from Castle and Wembanyama eventually restored a 92-89 advantage for the Spurs heading into the final frame. Scoring 22 of the ensuing 29 points and regaining the lead at 85-84, the Spurs expanded their lead to 14 early in the third before Dallas roared back. The game went to the fourth quarter with San Antonio up 92-89 as Castle and Wembanyama hit late threes. The Sixers still held a comfortable advantage at 117-108 with 3:18 to go before the Bucks rattled off six in a row in just over a minute to make it a three-point game.
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid achieved his 10th career triple-double with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead the 76ers past the Milwaukee Bucks 127-116. Jaylen Brown celebrated his 30th birthday by scoring 27 points, while Tyrese Maxey provided 26 points. VJ Edgecombe also impressed with 17 points and 13 rebounds, including five three-pointers.
The 76ers remain undefeated at 3-0, while the Bucks dropped to 0-3. Jaime Jaquez Jr. paced Milwaukee with 21 points. Following a 82-82 tie late in the third quarter, Philadelphia utilized a 15-5 run, highlighted by triples from Maxey and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, to pull away. Embiid’s jumper later extended the lead to 113-98, sealing the result despite a late Bucks push. The Bucks fell to 0-3 despite eight players scoring in double figures, while the Sixers are 3-0 on the young season. The teams were tied at 82-82 with four minutes left in the third quarter before the Sixers ended the period on a 15-5 push.
Meanwhile, Devin Booker powered the Phoenix Suns to a 131-122 win over the Golden State Warriors, leaving the visitors with their worst season start in nearly two decades. Booker finished with 43 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds. Miles Bridges contributed 16 points and Dillon Brooks added 15 for the Suns, setting a franchise record for a home opener.
The Warriors played without Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Draymond Green, and Al Horford. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg stepped up for Golden State with 26 points and nine rebounds, while De’Anthony Melton scored 25. The Warriors saw an early lead after a 12-0 third-quarter run, but a four-point play by Booker regained momentum for Phoenix. Philadelphia knocked down five three-pointers in the first quarter – three by Edgecombe – en route to a 34-25 lead after 12 minutes. And De’Anthony Melton scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half for the skeleton-crew Warriors, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had 26 points and nine rebounds. Melton scored 13 points in the third quarter when the Warriors used a 12-0 run to take a 73-71 lead before the Suns came back. Booker’s four-point play with 35 seconds left in the third quarter made it 99-89 for Phoenix.
Luke Kennard made his Suns debut following a knee injury, tallying 11 points and hitting three shots from beyond the arc. His late three-pointer pushed the Phoenix lead to 117-102. The Warriors displayed strong shooting from deep, hitting 17 of 39 three-pointers, and capitalized on 19 offensive rebounds to create additional scoring opportunities throughout the contest. Luke Kennard’s three-pointer pushed the Suns’ lead to 117-102 with 6:07 remaining in the game.
