Returning home, the Spurs were hungry for improvement and getting their game back on track. The longtime rival Dallas Mavericks made for a tough challenge, putting the Spurs down 9 in the first half, but the Spurs were able to catch fire and rallied to retake the lead by the halftime buzzer. Patty Mills finished with 20 points and 8 assists, making several big shots from 3PT territory, including the go-ahead 3PTer in the final minute as the ball smashed through the net and sending the crowd onto their feet. Kawhi Leonard knocked in another deep ball and nearly drew a foul to stamp an exclamation point on the feelgood victory.
Pau Gasol had a strong showing with 17 points and 14 rebounds. For the Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki played well, hitting tough shots, but his team fell tonight despite a late 9-1 run that made it touch-and-go until the final minute. Rookie Dennis Smith Jr. had a good game, as did Seth Curry and Harrison Barnes.
Iman Shumpert's defense made it tough for the Mavericks to score, although Tony Parker and Jeremy Lamb struggled. Thaddeus Young missed his first three shots, but made some nice ones when it mattered in the mid range area. Josh Smith knocked in a long ball as well, but Patty Mills led the way, his best showing this season as the starting point guard. Rudy Gay also turned in 12 points, despite missing shots in the clutch.