Wembanyama Scores 52 Points as Spurs Edge Mavericks in Close Finish

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Dallas Mavericks 112-111 on Wednesday, securing their sixth consecutive NBA victory behind a statistical milestone from Victor Wembanyama. The center scored a career-high 52 points and grabbed 24 rebounds, converting the deciding free throw with 24.2 seconds remaining in the game.

Dallas had an opportunity to reclaim the lead in the final seconds following a timeout called to set up their last possession. Kyrie Irving attempted a contested turnaround jumper in the lane with 2.5 seconds on the clock, but missed as time expired. The result handed the Mavericks their second consecutive defeat.

San Antonio had established a 19-point lead early in the third quarter before Dallas mounted a second-half rally. The Mavericks closed the margin to two points with 8:17 remaining in the fourth quarter and briefly moved ahead 103-100 after PJ Washington made a three-pointer with 5:38 left to play. Naji Marshall later tied the score at 111 with another three-pointer at the 1:41 mark before Wembanyama drew a foul and scored from the line.

In addition to his scoring and rebounding, Wembanyama recorded eight blocked shots and made all 15 of his free-throw attempts during the match. In the first half alone, he accumulated 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks in 16 minutes and 37 seconds of playing time. League records show he is the first NBA player in the past 30 seasons to reach those statistical totals in a single half.

Dylan Harper contributed 21 points for the Spurs, including 13 scored before the half-time break, while Stephon Castle added 17 points and De’Aaron Fox scored 10. For Dallas, Irving led the scoring with 29 points, supported by Marshall's 22 points off the bench. Washington finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Cooper Flagg registered 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Written by Thorben Thiede thorben.thiede@alpineweekly.com