Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs secured their first victory of the NBA season on Saturday night, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 122–106. Wembanyama led the charge with 23 points and 7 rebounds, lifting San Antonio out of an early slump following losses to Oklahoma and Houston.
Wembanyama Leads Spurs Past Mavericks
Saturday night brought a much-needed result for a San Antonio squad trying to find its rhythm early in the season. Holding a 68–60 lead at halftime, the Spurs maintained control through the final quarter, capped by a one-handed dunk from Wembanyama with just over five minutes remaining that stretched the advantage to 112–96. The French star pointed to improved offensive execution after the final buzzer. On a commencé à avoir de bons tirs sur chaque position,
Wembanyama said through translated remarks, explaining that better shot selection fundamentally changed the momentum of the game.
Addressing his team’s 1–2 record after reaching the finals last season, the 22-year-old acknowledged the unique obstacles facing the roster. J’apprends à avoir moins de temps de préparation que les autres équipes, c’est un challenge,
he noted. Wembanyama received substantial support on the floor from Dylan Harper, who contributed 22 points, while De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle added 19 points apiece. Justin Champagnie sealed the outcome with a strong finish, chipping in 12 points to comfortably outpace a Mavericks team playing without the injured Cooper Flagg, who sat out with a shoulder injury.
@wemby put on a show in Dallas! 📊 23 PTS, 7 REB, 4 BLK, 2 AST pic.twitter.com/94f7rB3sSr
Philadelphia Extends Streak Without LeBron James
While San Antonio celebrated its breakthrough, the Philadelphia 76ers continued their dominant start by claiming a third victory, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 127–116. Philadelphia achieved the win even while resting 41-year-old LeBron James. Joel Embiid anchored the effort with a commanding triple-double, recording 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Jaylen Brown added 27 points on the night he celebrated his 30th birthday, while Tyrese Maxey chipped in 26 points and VJ Edgecombe contributed 17 points and 13 rebounds.
C’est génial de bien démarrer, mais on a encore beaucoup de travail à faire,
Brown said following the milestone victory. Across the league on Saturday, the Houston Rockets held off the Atlanta Hawks 121–114 behind 22 points from veteran Kevin Durant, and the Washington Wizards edged the Chicago Bulls 124–120, keyed by 25 points and 9 assists from Trae Young alongside 22 points and 9 rebounds from Kyshawn George.
Denver Outlasts New Orleans in Overtime Thriller
In Denver, the Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans delivered one of the wildest finishes of the weekend, requiring an extra session before the home side prevailed 141–135. Jamal Murray carried the scoring load for Denver with a game-high 42 points, while Nikola Jokic posted a dominant stat line of 35 points and 15 rebounds to subdue the Pelicans in overtime.
Meanwhile, the Miami Heat endured a contrasting fate in the Southeast Division, dropping their third straight game in a 115–110 defeat against the Charlotte Hornets. Brandon Miller paced Charlotte with 34 points, backed by Dennis Schröder’s 25 points, while limiting Giannis Antetokounmpo to 14 points. A furious fourth-quarter rally by Miami fell short, leaving the Heat winless at 0–3 for the first time since the 2007–2008 season.
.@JoelEmbiid highlights for your viewing pleasure 🙂↕️@PALottery pic.twitter.com/Ewj1JgXWh3
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