Connect with us

Sports

Victor Wembanyama, Spurs stuff Cooper Flagg, Mavs

NBA: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas MavericksOct 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks past Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Victor Wembanyama dominated with 29 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots to carry the visiting San Antonio Spurs past the Mavericks in a 135-123 win on Thursday in Dallas.

Cooper Flagg had 32 points and became the youngest player in NBA history with 30 or more points in four consecutive games, etching his name alongside Michael Jordan as the first rookie with 30 points and at least five rebounds in four games in a row.

The Spurs were up 11 at halftime before the Mavs trimmed the margin to 96-93 heading into the fourth. Naji Marshall’s jumper with 4:09 to play capped a 6-0 run to slice the margin to one point but Stephon Castle answered with a long 3-pointer on San Antonio’s ensuing possession.

Wembanyama added a pair of free throws and Cooper Flagg’s floater with 2:41 remaining answered right back. A key Wembanyama block of Daniel Gafford’s layup try and two more free throws by Harrison Barnes helped San Antonio put the win away.

The Spurs return home for a rematch after the victory in which Barnes had 19 points, Keldon Johnson 18, De’Aaron Fox tallied 17, Julian Champagnie added 14, and Castle and Devin Vassell had 12 each as San Antonio won its third straight game.

Marshall poured in a season-high 32 points for the Mavericks, who have dropped six in a row. Flagg had 32 while Max Christie added 20 and Gafford scored 16 points with 10 boards.

Wembanyama was torrid from the start with San Antonio’s first 10 points and had 20 at halftime.

He hit all net on his first three 3-point attempts and the Spurs built a 12-7 lead five minutes into the game. San Antonio led by as many as nine points before owning a 38-35 edge after 12 minutes of play.

Dallas pushed its way to the front and led 48-44 when Flagg canned a jumper at the 8:30 mark of the second quarter. The Spurs then forged a 21-4 run capped by Johnson’s cutting layup with 4:05 to play before halftime and eventually carried a 74-63 advantage into the break.

Marshall matched Wembanyama with 20 points in the first half to lead their respective teams. Johnson added 12 points and Champagnie had 11 for San Antonio; Flagg and Gafford both produced 10 points in a supporting role for the Mavericks.

Jordan, Bernard King, Allen Iverson and Jalen Green are the other rookies who’ve gone for 30-plus points in four consecutive games. Iverson is the last rookie to put up 150-plus points in the span of four games.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Raptors subdue Bulls' deadline-depleted roster

NBA: Chicago Bulls at Toronto RaptorsFeb 5, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Ja’Kobe Walter (14) dunks against Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Brandon Ingram scored 22 of his 33 points in the first half Thursday night and the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls 123-107.

Immanuel Quickley added 24 points for the Raptors, who have won two of three to open a five-game homestand. Sandro Mamukelashvili posted 17 points, Collin Murray-Boyles had 17 points and three blocks, Scottie Barnes notched 13 points and Ja’Kobe Walter scored 12.

The Bulls, who completed seven trades before the deadline, featured two new players in their starting lineup and three overall. Anfernee Simons, acquired from the Boston Celtics for Nikola Vucevic, led the way with 22 points and ex-Detroit Piston Jaden Ivey added 13 as his starting backcourt partner. Guerschon Yabusele had 15 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

Matas Buzelis contributed 18 points for the Bulls, who completed a 1-3 road trip with their sixth loss in seven games. Jalen Smith had 13 points and nine rebounds and Isaac Okoro scored 10.

Toronto led by 12 points going into the fourth quarter. The lead reached 15 on Mamukelashvili’s driving hook with 7:57 to play. Simons cut the lead to 10 on a 3-pointer with 4:53 left, but Quickley’s 3-pointer restored the 15-point margin with 2:34 remaining.

Toronto led 33-25 after the first quarter.

While the Bulls were having problems adjusting to a revamped lineup, the Raptors pulled out to a 15-point lead when Quickley hit a 10-footer with 8:12 to play in the second quarter. The Bulls responded with a 7-0 burst, capped by Simons’ layup with 5:46 to go. The Bulls pulled to within five on Ivey’s steal that set up a Buzelis layup with 1:10 remaining in the first half, but Toronto led 65-58 at halftime.

Toronto shot 58.7% (27-for-46) from the field in the first half. Chicago shot 50% (23-for-46).

Toronto took a 12-point lead early in the third quarter, but the Bulls rallied to forge a 76-76 tie when Buzelis drained a 3-pointer at the 7:28 mark.

Chicago’s lack of familiarity showed again on defense, though, and the Raptors came back with 10 straight points capped by Quickley’s six-foot floater with 5:13 to go. The Raptors led 100-88 after the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Jock Landale, in debut with new team, helps Hawks down Jazz

NBA: Utah Jazz at Atlanta HawksFeb 5, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Jock Landale (31) shoots against the Utah Jazz in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Jock Landale matched his season high with 26 points in his Atlanta debut and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23, including the game-winning basket with 1.3 seconds left, helping the Hawks defeat the visiting Utah Jazz 121-119 on Thursday.

Landale was acquired by Atlanta from the Grizzlies on Wednesday, drove from Memphis to Atlanta for the Thursday morning shootaround and was in the starting lineup later that day. He shot 10-for-14 from the field, tied his season high with 11 rebounds, matched his career high with five assists and had a season-best four blocked shots.

With the game tied 119-119 after Utah’s Ace Bailey made a 3-pointer with 10.3 seconds remaining, Alexander-Walker dropped in the go-ahead hoop, which rattled on the rim before falling in. Bailey’s contested 3-point attempt at the buzzer was no good.

Atlanta also got 22 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists from Jalen Johnson, his 10th triple-double of the season. Corey Kispert came off the bench to score 20 as the Hawks won their second game in a row.

Utah was led by Isaiah Collier, who scored a career-high 25 points while adding seven rebounds and 11 assists. Collier played 48 minutes for the second straight game. Bailey didn’t score in the first quarter but finished with 20 points. Lauri Markkanen and Brice Sensabaugh each scored 18.

The win gave Atlanta a sweep of the two-game season series. The Hawks have won four straight against the Jazz.

There were five ties and nine lead changes in the first quarter, which ended with Utah up 31-30 behind Kyle Filipowski’s 10 points. The Jazz ran off nine unanswered points midway through the second period to take a 12-point lead, only to have Atlanta outscore them 18-5 and go up 61-60 entering halftime after a late layup from Alexander-Walker.

Atlanta had a five-point lead early in the third quarter, but Utah rode a 10-point quarter from Bailey to overtake the Hawks and lead 96-92.

Landale’s effort was needed since starter Onyeka Okongwu missed his fourth game since undergoing dental surgery following a nasty elbow in the mouth against the Boston Celtics. Atlanta’s other acquisitions — Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield and Gabe Vincent — had not yet joined the team. The Hawks waived N’Faly Dante and Duop Reath.

Utah’s Keyonte George (left ankle sprain) and Kevin Love (illness) did not play. Newly acquired Chris Boucher, Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. had not joined the team.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Kon Knueppel, streaking Hornets handle sputtering Rockets

NBA: Charlotte Hornets at Houston RocketsFeb 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) handles the ball against Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Rookie Kon Knueppel scored 24 points, LaMelo Ball added 20, and the visiting Charlotte Hornets extended their winning streak to eight games with a 109-99 win over the sputtering Houston Rockets.

Knueppel finished 8 for 13 overall while Ball drilled five 3-pointers to pace a balanced offensive attack for the Hornets, whose winning streak is the franchise’s longest since the 1998-99 season. Three others scored in double figures for Charlotte, which shot 17 for 43 from deep.

Miles Bridges added 18 points while Josh Green tallied 14 on 4-for-4 shooting and four steals off the bench. Brandon Miller, plagued by foul trouble, posted 11 points and three steals. Moussa Diabate grabbed 12 rebounds for the Hornets, who produced a 46-40 rebounding margin.

Kevin Durant scored a game-high 31 points for the Rockets, who have split their last six games and dropped both contests of a home back-to-back. Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 17 points and seven rebounds for Houston, which committed 18 turnovers that Charlotte turned into 27 points. Durant and Smith were the only double-digit scorers for Houston.

Live-ball turnovers doomed the Rockets in the first half and greased the skids to a 12-point halftime deficit. Both teams had at least 11 turnovers at the break (Houston had 13), but while the Rockets scored just four points off the Hornets’ miscues, they conceded 19 points on their turnovers to fuel the Hornets.

Ball and Durant offset one another in the first quarter, scoring 10 and 11 points respectively as the Hornets carried a 29-26 lead into the second. But after Reed Sheppard nailed a 3-pointer for Houston that knotted the score at 34-34, Ball and Bridges stroked 3s that ignited a 19-5 run capped by a Knueppel 13-footer. That 14-point margin was the largest of the half for Charlotte.

The Hornets had their way before the intermission, shooting 9 of 21 from behind the arc while also recording 28 points in the paint. Houston clawed to within seven points in the third quarter, but when Ball drilled a stepback 3-pointer at the 4:29 mark, the Hornets claimed an 83-70 lead.

The Hornets led by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading