DALLAS — The Spurs trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half and couldn't come all the way back, dropping their sixth straight contest of the season, this time to the Dallas Mavericks. The Spurs fell to 5-9, while the Mavericks improved to 8-5.
Mavericks forward Luka Doncic had a career-high 42 points, plus 12 assists and 11 rebounds. The 20-year-old Slovakian superstar became just the second player in NBA history to record a 40-point triple-double before age 21. The other is LeBron James.
The sensational performance for Doncic outshone anything the Spurs did, including a 36-point outing from DeMar DeRozan. LaMarcus Aldridge also scored 16 points and gathered 9 rebounds.
The discrepancy in three-point shooting was one of the keys to the game. The Mavericks went 14-of-41 (42%) from long range, while San Antonio was just 8-of-24 (33%).
The Spurs play again Wednesday, when they travel to Washington to face the Wizards. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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FOURTH QUARTER:
As the fourth quarter begins, the Mavericks have made more three pointers than the Spurs have even attempted. In the modern NBA, floor spacing and long-range shooting are more important than ever, and the Spurs are stuck in the old days.
It doesn't help that the Mavericks have the best player on the floor. Luka Doncic has 34 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds through three quarters. The 20-year-old Slovenian superstar has been a triple-double machine and Monday night has been business as usual.
But Doncic still struggles on the defensive end, as evidenced by this play from the end of the third quarter. That bucket gave the Spurs the momentum to start the fourth quarter on an 8-4 run, but they still trailed by 10 with 8 minutes left.
At the 6 minute mark, things weren't much better. A layup from DeMar DeRozan cut it to 8, but the Spurs fouled Doncic and he buried both free throws. The duel between those two has been fun. DeRozan had 30 points and 7 rebounds with 6 minutes to go, but Doncic was at 36 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds.
DeMar clearly did not want to be outdone by the young Doncic, as the veteran scored the next two buckets, cutting the deficit to 103-97. After a Mavericks timeout, DeRozan assisted on a DeMarre Carroll three and the Spurs were within three with five minutes to go.
Luka Doncic was simply unstoppable at times, but one man doesn't win a game on his own. Usually.
It stayed close into the final minutes, with the Spurs failing to capitalize on a couple chances to tie the game. With 1:14 left, a prayer of a shot by Dorian Finney-Smith beat the shot clock buzzer to put the Mavericks up 112-107.
A Rudy Gay three-pointer got it down to 2, but Luka Doncic had another big shot, draining a stepback three with 27 seconds left. That gave Dallas the 115-110 lead and Doncic 42 points.
THIRD QUARTER:
After three, the Mavericks lead 93-79.
A DeMar DeRozan jumper cut the Mavericks' lead to 8, but Kristaps Porzingis answered with a three. At that point, the Mavericks had 11 made three-pointers, which was more than the Spurs had even attempted. Bryn Forbes took care of that on the next trip down the floor, draining a shot from downtown. Follow that with a stop and a LaMarcus Aldridge bucket, and suddenly, it's only 66-60 Dallas.
DeRozan is up to 23 points with most of the third quarter still to go.
The DeRozan/Aldridge duo versus the Doncic/Porzingis duo is setting up to be the story of the second half.
Aldridge became the second Spur to reach double figures in scoring, then kept going, essentially doubling his point total in the third quarter.
The Spurs cut the lead to 75-70 with 5:41 left in the quarter, but the Mavericks promptly went on a 10-0 run in the next minute and a half. With 4 minutes left in the third, the Mavs led 85-70.
SECOND QUARTER:
At halftime, the Spurs trail 59-49.
The second quarter began like the first for the Spurs, with ice-cold shooting. Fortunately for San Antonio, the Mavericks also didn't shoot the ball well in the first portion of the frame. The Mavs called a timeout with 6:55 left in the half, and the Spurs had slightly reduced the gap, 44-31. Still, defending the duo of Kristaps Porzingis and Luka Doncic has been a problem.
The Spurs' bench has provided a nice lift, with Jakob Poeltl, Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli all scoring five points in the first 18 minutes of the game. DeMar DeRozan led the Spurs with 8 points. He's been attacking the rim and getting to the free throw line, where he's done most of his damage.
Three-point shooting is a problem for the Spurs. Again. They don't take many, and they miss the ones they take.
The Spurs trailed big for most of the first half, but a DeMar DeRozan jumper just before the buzzer cut the deficit to 10 at the intermission. He'll be key to the Spurs' second-half comeback hopes. He finished with 19 points in the first half.
No other Spur reached double figures, but Aldridge and Mills had 8 apiece. The Mavericks' Luka Doncic led all scorers with 24 points in the first half.
FIRST QUARTER:
After one, the Spurs trail 36-22.
Another game, another slow start. The Spurs called a timeout four minutes into the game after the Mavericks raced out to a 13-4 lead. The Silver and Black made just one of their first six shots, while the Mavericks made five. Star forward Luka Doncic led the early effort with 5 points and 3 assists.
Four minutes later, things weren't much better. The Mavericks earned a 22-8 lead with 4 minutes left in the first quarter. The Spurs are missing their shots and allowing too many easy looks at the basket.
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic is unconscious. He made 4 of his first 5 shots from long range, netting 17 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds in the first 12 minutes. Sometimes, you just can't stop a great player when he's feeling it.
PREGAME:
The Spurs are on their longest losing streak in more than eight years, and, though the season is young, the Silver and Black face an important stretch of games starting Monday. Monday night's clash with the Mavs is the start of a four-game road trip for the Spurs. The game will be broadcast by KENS 5, the Official Television Station of the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs started the season 3-0, then won two of their next five, getting to 5-3. Since their last win, on November 8 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs have been frustrated. Three of their last four losses have been by five points or fewer, so success isn’t far away.
At the same time, the flaws in the 2019 Spurs roster, like a lack of outside shooting, have been exposed at times. This is also a veteran team that returns the same core players from last season, so it’s not like these guys are unfamiliar with one another.
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Monday’s game presents a difficult challenge, with the resurgent Mavericks feeling confident behind the superstar play of Luka Doncic. The second-year wing leads the team in scoring (28.5 points per game), rebounding (10.7 boards per game) and passing (9.1 assists per game).
Dallas enters Monday with a 7-5 record, while the Spurs are 5-8. Tip-off from the American Airlines Center is slated for 7:30 p.m. You can watch on KENS 5 or the KENS 5 app in the San Antonio area and follow along here.