Mavs Film Study: How Dallas Held Victor Wembanyama Held in Check in Season Opener

The Mavericks’ disciplined defense held Victor Wembanyama to 5-of-18 shooting, using strategic switches, cross-matching, and rim protection to secure a season-opening win.

DALLAS — Klay Thompson set a franchise record for most three-pointers in a Dallas Mavericks debut. On Thursday night, he hit six from beyond the arc to lead his team to a 120-109 season-opening victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Luka Dončić added 28 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists in a near triple-double, while the Mavericks’ defensive game plan kept Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama in check throughout the night.

Thompson finished with 22 points in his regular-season debut for Dallas, setting the tone with efficient shooting that spread the floor and opened up the offense for Dončić and Kyrie Irving, who contributed 15 points. Adjusting to his new team, Thompson noted the significance of starting the season strong but kept the bigger picture in mind. “It’s one game,” he said. “A good win at home, but we have really big goals. One good start isn’t going to satisfy any of us.”

The Mavericks kept Wembanyama from finding a consistent rhythm, limiting the 7-foot-4 forward to 5-of-18 shooting. Employing a range of defensive looks, Dallas alternated between cross-matching, Scram switching, and sagging off weak shooters for paint-packing schemes that forced Wembanyama into contested shots and minimized his presence in the paint.

“We threw a lot at him,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said of Wembanyama. “He’s a special talent, but we tried to keep fresh bodies on him and make him work for everything.”

Here's an in-depth look at how Dallas executed its game plan to contain Wembanyama: