Victor Wembanyama NBA debut: Spurs rookie shows out late, but Luka Doncic delivers the dagger

Wembanyama was in foul trouble most of the second half but still finished with 15 points

Victor Wembanyama showed flashes of brilliance in his NBA debut, but he was in foul trouble almost all of the second half as the Spurs fell to the Mavericks, 126-119. 

Trailing by one in the closing minutes, the Mavericks went on an 8-0 run to secure the win, with Doncic accounting for all those buckets (two assists to Kyrie Irving and the dagger step-back 3-pointer). 

Wembanyama finished with 15 points, five rebounds and one block. He hit six of his nine shots, including 3 of 5 from 3-point land, but he also committed five turnovers. 

His first NBA bucket was a top-of-the-key 3:

This face-up jumper looked positively Tim Duncan-like:

Wembanyama had just six points and five fouls through the first 42 minutes, but he posted nine points over the game's final six minutes. 

But in the end, Doncic and Dallas rookie Dereck Lively stole the show. Doncic finished with 33 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists (just the fourth 30-point season-opening triple double in league history). Here's the dagger:

Meanwhile, Lively recorded 16 points and 10 boards on 7-of-8 shooting for a team-high plus-20 in an impressive debut. 

[Oct 26, 2023 at 12:00 am ET · Brad Botkin]

Now Wemby runs the floor, establishes early position and finishes the dunk plus the foul

[Oct 25, 2023 at 11:58 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Wemby finally gets back on court with six minutes to play and immediately sticks a 3

[Oct 25, 2023 at 11:19 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Four fouls for Wemby. Heads to bench with 8 minutes still to play in third

[Oct 25, 2023 at 11:17 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Wembanyama has taken just four shots so far. All from 3. Not ideal

[Oct 25, 2023 at 11:10 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Wemby with six first-half points. Second half underway