Mavericks-Spurs: 4 takeaways as Victor Wembanyama spoils Cooper Flagg’s debut

DALLAS- They arrived on this night of high anticipation to see the future, absorb the hype and fully understand what made him a highly sought-after No. 1 draft pick and designated Flagg carry for the league.

And the crowd at the American Airlines Center got what they hoped for Wednesday, but not necessarily what they wanted.

It was certainly a coming-out party – Victor Wembanyama, No. 1 in 2022, made his initial case for consideration as Kia’s MVP.

As for Cooper Flagg, #1, 2025? Let’s just say there will be plenty of second chances to make a first impression.

And what about the game itself and its early implications? The Mavericks, coming off a forgettable season that changed for good with the Luka Dončić trade and Anthony Davis injury, are trying to reconnect the crowd and that hasn’t happened, not yet, even with Flagg.

The Spurs and their young, restless core are trying to get respect and consideration in the playoffs. It started with a resounding victory to open the season with positive vibes.

Here are four takeaways from the Spurs’ easy, breezy 125-92 victory richly flavored by Wemby:

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1. It’s over for Wemby, for starters

With 6:42 left in the match, a distinctive chant was heard, and strangely enough, inside a road arena. Interest aside, basketball fans knew what they were seeing and so they said: MVP.

He checked in moments later, having put together a classic performance: 40 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, three blocks and highlights that a player should never be allowed to pull off at 7-foot-4 — or is it 7-foot-5?

Never mind. Wemby was irresistible and unstoppable for 30 minutes, and he faced no slouch. For several periods, he faced Anthony Davis, one of the best defensive players of this generation, and stole his chain on several occasions.

Here are some of the gems: a reverse dunk, a step-back 3-pointer (and a subsequent 4-point play), an isolation and between-the-legs dribble on AD for a mid-range step-back 3-point play (Davis committed a fourth foul on the second-quarter stretch), and a pair of dunks where he beat his man on the court (it took him about five strides to cover this ground).

A total monster night, which made the arena gasp on several occasions.

Is this what the NBA can expect this season from such a monster?

And if it was indeed a preview, well, what chance do the Spurs and the NBA as a whole have?

“We had to make a statement,” Wemby said. “We’re all tired of losing, and that’s the truth.”

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2. Coop was launched in a loop

He was the center of attention from the moment he entered high school, never flinched along the way, showed astonishing maturity from the age of 16, and displayed an old-soul playing style.

But when the curtains rose on his rookie debut, he seemed frozen, especially at first.

The thaw only came in the second half, when the result was out of reach, and Flagg looked a little more comfortable and in his own skin. Good news: there are still 81 games to play.

Yet sometimes it wasn’t poor, just invisible.

Flagg finished with four baskets, three turnovers, 10 points (all in the second half), 10 rebounds and a minus-29 rating. And he wasn’t the most impressive rookie on the field at all.

It was Spurs’ Dylan Harper, second overall, who was poised, steady and fluid. Harper showed a tendency to attack the rim and hang in the air while his defender fell to the ground. Harper: 15 points (7-of-14 shooting), four rebounds.

Mavs coach Jason Kidd said, “I thought Cooper played within himself. He took what the defense gave him.”

Flagg appeared to try to fit in at first before getting aggressive, but by then the game was over and the Spurs starters were on the bench.

PJ Washington said, “Coop, everything will be fine. »

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3. Point guard issues for Dallas

There’s a pressing and confusing issue for the Mavericks that the offseason hasn’t satisfactorily resolved: the need for someone to run the point.

Davis said, “We were playing a lot of isolation basketball and we’re not going to win games like that.”

Kyrie Irving is on the mend after knee surgery until…well, no one really knows. His case is different from two others recovering from leg injuries, Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum, because Kyrie has 15 years of tread wear.

If he misses the entire season, it’s hard to imagine the Mavericks spreading fear in a very unforgiving West. If he returns before the season, how effective will he be and where will the Mavericks sit in the standings?

This is an indictment of D’Angelo Russell, the supposed bridge guard until Kyrie’s return, who clearly hasn’t earned Kidd’s trust. Russell did not start and only played 15 minutes.

Ryan Nembhard looked promising in the preseason, but he is an undrafted rookie and might need more time. Kidd’s fallback plan was to use Flagg for stretches at that point, and the early results weren’t promising — the Spurs attacked his dribble and forced him to give the ball back, sometimes prematurely. He looked uncertain and vulnerable against smaller defenders.

Kidd admitted his team “didn’t pass the ball…didn’t play for a teammate.”

This will handcuff the Mavs until someone on the roster literally has a better handle on the situation, or if they frantically search for a temporary replacement before the trade deadline.

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4. No. 1s don’t always have fun

Here are some other massively celebrated rookie debuts among the first overall picks:

• Magic Johnson, Lakers, 1979. This took place in San Diego (Clippers) in front of 8,503 people. Magic was superb with 26 points and fed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the game-winning sky hook at the buzzer. Magic screamed and jumped into Kareem’s arms before the center gently reminded the rookie that there were 81 games left.
• Ralph Sampson, The Rockets, 1983. He missed his first four shots, then settled in against Artis Gilmore and provided 18 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in the win over the Spurs.
• Patrick Ewing, Knicks, 1985. He had the misfortune of coming up against Moses Malone, a former MVP in his prime. Malone gave Ewing a welcome-to-the-league moment with 35 points and 13 rebounds; Ewing had 18 and six.
• Shaquille O’Neal, Magic, 1992. Against the Miami Heat, 12 points, 18 rebounds before committing a foul; he only attempted a season-low eight shots and admitted to being nervous. Shaq would average 23.4 points, nearly 14 rebounds and win Rookie of the Year.
• LeBron James, Cavaliers, 2003. Perhaps most of the East (except Cleveland) was sleeping when LeBron opened in Sacramento. The 18-year-old had 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the loss.
• Zion Williamson, Pelicans, 2019. He started slowly but finished strong against the Spurs, with 17 of his 22 points coming in the fourth quarter. And he only played 18 minutes; difference between then and recent times, he was in good health.
• Victor Wembanyama, Spurs, 2023. Just like Wednesday, he faced the Mavericks and it was an education – he committed five fouls and five turnovers and the Spurs lost by seven. Naturally, it was all downhill from there.

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Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA since 1985. You can email him here, find his archives here and follow him on.