The San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks for the fourth time this season, cementing themselves as hands-down the best team in Texas.
The San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, 139-120, not needing the contest to move up or down in the standings, as their number two seeding has already been cemented.
However, the Spurs sent a message, anyway, headlined by Victor Wembanyama.
In his 65th game of the season, Wembanyama finished with 40 points and 12 rebounds in just 26 minutes, officially making him eligible for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and All-NBA. As if that wasn't enough, he reminded fans that he could very well be the best player in the league, at only 22 years old.
Spurs Come Out Hot Against Mavericks
Wembanyama scored nine of the Spurs' first 13 points, and the Spurs got off to an early lead.
"We'll see," said Wembanyama after the game when asked about his MVP candidacy, emphasizing that he wants to focus on the playoffs.
The Mavericks, to their credit, roared back, taking the lead in the final minutes of the second quarter, although the Spurs quickly got back in control and never looked back.
Cooper Flagg posted 33 points, nearly outscoring Wembanyama and showcasing why Mavericks fans should be excited for the future, even if the Luka Doncic trade is still a black cloud hanging over the franchise.
In addition to Wembanyama's stellar game, De'Aaron Fox offered 17 of his own, and Carter Bryant remained red-hot from deep, following his career-high 17-point outing in the win over the Portland Trail Blazers with 12 points on three-of-three shooting from deep. While he's still incredibly raw, this version of Bryant will be a key contributor for the Spurs in the postseason.
The Spurs have one more game to close out the season, hosting the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. With Stephon Castle missing the last two games, fans shouldn't expect him to return. Keep in mind, the next game doesn't affect seeding at all, and the Spurs will likely have their best players shut down in the regular-season finale.
The Spurs will play the winner of the play-in tournament first round between the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs, their first appearance since 2019, when they were led by DeMar DeRozan.