San Antonio didn’t let the schedule or the injury report muddy the script. On the second night of a back-to-back, the Spurs (62-19) dropped 139 points on the Dallas Mavericks (25-56) on April 11 at Frost Bank Center, using a pacey start and a decisive third-quarter surge to secure a 139-120 win.
The game’s turning point came right after halftime. Dallas had stabilized with a 39-point second quarter to keep it within three at the break, but San Antonio detonated for 40 in the third, flipping a tight contest into a runway and never giving it back.
Game flow: Dallas’ second-quarter push, Spurs’ third-quarter knockout
San Antonio set the tone immediately with a 37-26 first quarter, then absorbed Dallas’ best punch in the second. The Mavericks poured in 39 in the period to pull within 68-65 at halftime, briefly threatening to turn it into a track meet.
Then the Spurs hit their cleanest stretch of the night: 40 points in the third to Dallas’ 28. That 12-point swing created the separation, and San Antonio’s 31-point fourth ensured there was no late volatility.
Efficiency and pressure: Spurs lived at the line and won the glass
San Antonio’s offensive profile held: high-percentage looks, steady ball movement, and relentless pressure on the rim. The Spurs went 37-for-60 from the field and 26-for-27 at the free-throw line, a combination that kept their scoring floor extremely high even with Dallas generating its own offense.
The other quiet separator was possession control. San Antonio won the rebounding battle 48-35, creating extra chances and limiting Dallas’ ability to string together stops. Even with 11 turnovers, the Spurs’ shot quality and free-throw volume consistently reset the math in their favor.
Dallas’ path: three-point volume without enough stops
With Kyrie Irving out and a frontcourt injury list that included Dereck Lively II (out) and Daniel Gafford (doubtful), Dallas’ most realistic route was to win the variance game from deep. The Mavericks leaned into it: 40 of their 58 field-goal attempts came from three, and they hit 15 of them.
It was enough to keep the offense functional for stretches—especially in that second quarter—but not enough to survive the defensive end. Dallas couldn’t consistently shrink the floor or keep San Antonio off the stripe, and the Spurs’ third-quarter burst punished every small breakdown.
How the pregame indicators played out
This matchup came in with a wide profile gap. San Antonio entered 62-19 with strong home splits (16-2, 122.4 average points), while Dallas had struggled on the road (5-16, 111.8 average points). The CPI differential was massive (80.11 vs. 22.57), and the game largely followed that expectation once San Antonio tightened the screws in the second half.
Even with both teams on back-to-backs, the Spurs’ recent efficiency markers translated to the scoreboard. Over their last 10 analyzed games, San Antonio’s offensive rating (125.2) and net rating (9.4) pointed to a team capable of creating separation quickly; the third quarter was the live-action version of that data.
Injury context: Dallas’ depth tested, Spurs kept their structure
Dallas’ availability issues were extensive, and the ripple effects showed most on defense and the glass. Without key creators and multiple frontcourt pieces listed out or doubtful, the Mavericks were forced into a narrower offensive menu and had less margin for error when San Antonio began generating free throws and second chances.
San Antonio’s own report included multiple notable names listed as questionable, but the on-court product stayed consistent: 30 assists, strong finishing, and a third-quarter avalanche that turned a competitive first half into a comfortable win.
Quarter-by-quarter
Q1: Spurs 37, Mavericks 26
Q2: Mavericks 39, Spurs 31
Q3: Spurs 40, Mavericks 28
Q4: Spurs 31, Mavericks 27
Team stats snapshot
Spurs: 37/60 FG, 13/32 3PT, 26/27 FT; 48 REB, 30 AST, 11 TO
Mavericks: 30/58 FG, 15/40 3PT, 15/19 FT; 35 REB, 26 AST, 7 TO