San Antonio vs. Dallas, final score: Spurs lose the season opener 120-109

The San Antonio Spurs visited the Dallas Mavericks for the second straight season opener against their in-state rivals. After a cold shot in the first half, the Mavs exploded and scored XX points in the second half as they defeated the Spurs 120-109.

Dallas made just 26.3% of its three-point shots in the first half, but hit 14 three-pointers in the second half, shooting 43.2% from distance for the game. Even in the first half, when the Spurs were ahead, it felt like the game was teetering on the edge of a Mavericks pullback. San Antonio struggled with turnovers and coughed up the ball 19 times. Dallas was the more physical team overall, outscoring the Spurs on offense and grabbing 17 rebounds.

Jeremy Sochan and Julian Champagnie led the Spurs with 18 points each. All-Star Luka Doncic led all scorers in a near triple-double, posting 28 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. San Antonio will look to bounce back at home against the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

Observations

• Victor Wembanyama looked rusty in the season opener. He finished the game with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 4 turnovers. The Mavericks played physical with the big man all night and ultimately disrupted his rhythm. Wembanyama was forced to make difficult shots from deep, where he took one of his 8 shots. It may take a few games for Victor to get back on his feet after barely playing in the preseason.
• Sochan continued to play well after a strong preseason. Not only did he lead the team with 18 points, but he was aggressive in the game and collected six rebounds. Nobody in the NBA can guard Doncic one-on-one, but Sochan did a pretty good job of keeping him out of rhythm when guarding in isolation.
• Harrison Barnes kept the Spurs in the game in the first half. He finished the game with 17 points, including 14 in the first half. Barnes was an efficient 7-10 player from the field and gave San Antonio a good outlet at the three-point line, where he made two of his five three-pointers.
• Chris Paul did about what you would expect him to do on his Spurs debut. He controlled the offense and helped the Spurs stay organized during the Mavericks' hot shooting streak. He had 3 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds in the loss.
• Champagnie filled the stat sheet as he replaced Devin Vassell in the starting lineup. He had 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. He was aggressive in defense and on the boards, shooting 4-8 from three balls and attacking the rim for a few throws. He seems extremely comfortable in his new role.
• Stephon Castle only played 17 minutes in his rookie debut, but scored 8 points and 5 assists in a solid performance. He continued downhill and found his teammates with some nice passes.