Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks drives inside as Tre Jones #33 of the San Antonio Spurs defends in the first half at American Airlines Center on February 14, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. | Getty Images via AFP
DALLAS — Kyrie Irving scored 34 points, Luka Doncic had 27 before leaving early in the fourth period and the Dallas Mavericks overcame an early 15-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 116-93 on Wednesday night.
Doncic left three minutes into the fourth quarter holding his neck. A team spokesman said Doncic, who also had nine rebounds and eight assists in 31 minutes, received treatment.
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The game was the last for both teams before the NBA All-Star break, with the Mavericks winning a season-best sixth straight and Spurs falling for the eighth time in nine contests.
Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama had 26 points — 20 in the first half — and nine rebounds in his belated Dallas debut. He was a late scratch in the Spurs’ first trip to American Airlines Center in late December when he sprained an ankle during warmups, stepping on a ball boy’s foot.
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Dereck Lively II returned to Dallas’ lineup after missing seven games with a broken nose and wore a protective mask. Seeing limited time off the bench, Lively had eight points and five rebounds in 17 minutes.