De Larrea's first big night in the NBA is overshadowed by Wembanyama

Sergio De Larrea took the opportunity to start making a name for himself with the Dallas Mavericks, although his great individual performance could not prevent a 106-122 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The Spanish point guard finished as his team's top scorer with 21 points, marked his debut in the NBA, and played for 33 minutes, benefiting from the absences of Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. Opposite him, Victor Wembanyama led the visitors with 23 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks.

The game represented a significant step forward for De Larrea, who had only spent 56 seconds on the court against the Indiana Pacers and had not yet managed to score in his first two appearances in the competition. This time, the Spaniard played a pivotal role off the bench and responded with the best performance of his brief career in the NBA.

De Larrea seizes his opportunity with 21 points

The point guard delivered a very solid offensive performance, with 21 points and 9 of 15 shooting, along with an impressive 3 of 4 from three-point range. No Dallas player attempted more shots than he did, demonstrating the confidence he gained as the game progressed.

De Larrea found solutions to overcome San Antonio's defense, particularly with his drives and high shots from four to five meters away. This approach allowed him to avoid the long arms of Wembanyama on several occasions, one of the Spurs' main defensive threats.

His contribution was not limited to scoring. The Spaniard also finished with five rebounds and four assists, although he committed four turnovers. The Mavericks, in addition, had a negative balance of five points while he was on the court for 33 minutes.

Despite the importance of his performance, De Larrea did not want to focus solely on the numbers. The player acknowledged that he still has room for improvement and emphasized daily work as the basis for his performance.

“There are many things to improve. Defensive rotations, being prepared… I work every day, and today I think it was the result of that work,” he explained in the press conference.

Image

The absences of Flagg and Irving open the door for the Spaniard

De Larrea's opportunity came in a context marked by absences in Dallas. Cooper Flagg, considered the best rookie of last season, suffered a shoulder injury during the previous game after taking a hard foul while attempting a dunk. He is expected to be out for at least a week.

On top of that absence, Kyrie Irving was rested as this was the second game on consecutive nights. The American point guard is also in the process of returning from a knee injury that kept him away from competition for 19 months.

With two of their main figures out of the rotation, the Mavericks needed to find new offensive solutions. The performance of the starters did not help either: collectively they scored 50 points, which led coach Dusty May to rely more frequently on bench players.

De Larrea responded to that trust with minutes, responsibility, and scoring production that he had not been able to showcase until now. His performance became one of the few positive highlights for Dallas on a night that, collectively, ended in another loss.

Dusty May highlights De Larrea's defensive evolution

The Mavericks coach was satisfied with the Spaniard's performance, which he also praised for his improvement in defensive tasks. May focused on his work against the ball handler and his ability to compete on the boards against high-level opponents.

“I think he was great. His defense is improving, especially on the ball handler. He was chasing long rebounds. Overall, it was a really good game from a young player against one of the best defenses on the perimeter,” the coach noted.

The praise comes after a challenging start for De Larrea, who had very few opportunities in his first games. This time, he was able to demonstrate his capacity to take on offensive responsibility and respond in a demanding environment against a defense that has Wembanyama as its main interior reference.

This performance represents a positive sign for the Spanish point guard, although it also makes it clear that he will need to continue seizing the opportunities that arise in a roster affected by absences and competition for minutes.

Wembanyama and Harper lead the Spurs to victory

San Antonio won 106-122 and managed to move past a season start with two losses. Wembanyama was once again decisive with 23 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks, while Dylan Harper finished with 22 points. De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle contributed 19 points each.

The Spurs dominated much of the game and enjoyed a 23-point lead at one point. However, the Mavericks found a way to get back into the game during the third quarter, cutting a 14-point deficit.

Daniel Gafford brought Dallas to within a point with the first basket of the final period, making the score 91-92. The game seemed open, but San Antonio reacted from beyond the arc, ultimately punishing their opponent with five three-pointers in the closing stretch, out of the 15 they made throughout the game.

The visitors also took advantage of the production from Harper and Julian Champagnie to regain control. When De Larrea returned to the court in the final quarter, the Mavericks were already trailing 94-103 and needed an immediate response.

San Antonio's run grew from 0-11 to 6-18, leaving the score at 98-119 and practically sealing the game. Dallas could no longer compete for the win, despite the efforts of their bench players.

The defeat prevented De Larrea's great night from ending positively on a collective level. However, his 21 points, 33 minutes on the court, and the praise from his coach represent a strong argument for claiming more opportunities in the NBA.

De Larrea's statistics and the top scorers

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La primera gran noche de De Larrea en la NBA queda eclipsada por Wembanyama