Irving and Doncic lead Mavericks past Wenbanyama and Spurs, 116-93

DALLAS (AP) 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.

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.

Dallas outscored San Antonio 15-1 closing the first half to lead 56-51, then began the third quarter on a 26-7 run. The Mavericks led by 29 points.

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.

UP NEXT

Spurs: At Sacramento on Thursday, Feb. 22 .

Mavericks: Host Phoenix on Thursday, Feb. 22.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA