Victor Wembanyama has received all the attention after he stole the show last night. He deserves that. The man dropped 40 points and 15 rebounds with no turnovers and shot 71% from the field. That hasn't been done in over 50 years. The offense was astounding, and he didn't forget his defensive roots, adding a steal and three blocks to his stat line. The whole thing felt supernatural.
But we need to give love to the rest of the team, because they showed up and helped to firmly insert their collective feet into the Mavericks' rear end. It was the first time a Wemby-led crew had won their opening game of the season, with both previous losses coming to the Mavs. It's a new year now—a new era. One where Vic and the Spurs dictate things, and here are just a few standouts from the crew.
Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell brought their defense
The team defense as a whole was stellar. The Mavericks struggled to find space and ended up playing a lot of iso-ball. That didn't do them any favors, and every Spurs player stepped up to the challenge on that end of the floor. That includes Dev and KJ. Both players have been criticized for their defensive struggles over the past few seasons, but there were no issues last night. They were great.
They forced a couple of turnovers, too. Johnson got himself a steal, and Vassell notched two. Those are important, but it wasn't the best part of their defense. The fellas flew around the court, playing with physicality and staying in front of their assignment. They made it difficult for whoever they were guarding, and that's Spurs basketball.
Stephon Castle was the second-best player on the floor
Everyone who sold their Castle stock will rue the day they made that transaction. The reigning Rookie of the Year stood out on a court with Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Cooper Flagg, and Devin Vassell returning to form. Sidenote: Lively has given the Spurs trouble in the past, but he was a complete non-factor last night. It's a testament to the sound game plan San Antonio deployed.
Back to Steph... He didn't even shoot well from the free-throw line, going 5-10. He still put up 22 points. He could have had 27 in the first game of his sophomore campaign.
Last season, size sometimes bothered Castle, but not last night. He did just about whatever he wanted, and it made the Silver and Black even more unstoppable. Without Kyrie Irving, the Mavs are expected to lean on their defense. They had no defense last night. The former UConn champion went 8-12 FG and added seven rebounds and six assists. He also locked up Cooper Flagg and ruined his debut.
The Spurs have another gear they'll reach when Fox returns
Jordan McLaughlin was getting run during the game while it was still competitive. He's a fine player, and this is not meant to denigrate him, but the truth is that he's not De'Aaron Fox. The fastest guy in the league is still on the mend but set to return before you know it, and it'll only take this offense a notch higher.
The Spurs won in all the most important areas of the game. They outrebounded Dallas 60-47, committed fewer turnovers (16-14), and had more field goal attempts (87-83). The Mavs had a higher free-throw percentage, but the Silver and Black attempted more. They need to improve their efficiency, but that's a good sign.
Fox can make free throws. He'll push the pace even more. And when Wembanyama is going off like he did, how are you going to dedicate enough men to stop Swipa when he can run past most players in the league? It's going to be pandemonium in the Frost Bank Center this season. I'm not sure exactly which of the eight playoff teams from last year will be moving out to let the Spurs in, but the U-Haul is on standby.