San Antonio vs. Dallas, Final Score: Castle’s career night leads Spurs past Mavs, 138-125

SAN ANTONIO, TX -FEBRUARY 7 Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs takes off on the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at Frost Bank Center on February 7, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Concluding an away-home miniseries against the Dallas Mavericks, what started as a tight game through the first 18 minutes turned into a runaway Spurs blowout win at home, kicked off by a strong closing to the first half. Overall, the Spurs put on quite the show, with offensive and defense highlights. They made their money with 74 points in the paint on their way to a 138-125 win that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. Stephon Castle led with a historical performance of 40 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists, becoming just the second player in franchise history to achieve that feat along with David Robinson.

Observations

We had another different starting line-up tonight, with Castle returning in place of Harrison Barnes. It ended up being the right night for it, as a he finished with the 40-12-12 triple-double and did it in spectacular fashion. He become the youngest player in league history to record a 40-point triple-double, and it didn’t come with any forced offense. Castle simply let the game come to him, hitting 15-19 shots and 3-5 threes, as well as three steals and a block. Per usual, the blemish of 6 turnovers was there, but he was on such a heater that this is one of those times that you just accept the little bit of ugly with the overwhelming amount of good.
The Spurs thrived in the transition to open the game, with nine early points on the fast break. They also struggled themselves with transition defense, with the Mavs scoring two early buckets off made baskets, which didn’t leave either coach happy. The Spurs also had a few careless turnovers in the back court after securing rebounds, which led to a few extra Mavs possessions.
We got a stretch of vintage Klay Thompson to open the second quarter, with 14 points in the first 4 minutes, including 3-3 from beyond the arc (one off one of those aforementioned back court turnovers) to help the Mavs briefly take a two-point lead after the Spurs had led by as much as 11. But then…
Carter Bryant was a big part of a Spurs 32-16 run through the second half of the second quarter. He hit three threes and had three huge blocks. (He actually had four, but one that was called a goal-tend, and it was so close it was hard to tell if it was actually the correct call. Regardless, that block was all the way up at the top of the square on the backboard, showing just how insane his athleticism and bounce really is.
With the short-handed Thunder continuing to struggle, loosing at home to a Rockets squad that was having its own troubles, pushing for the top seed suddenly doesn’t seem like too much of an insane idea for the Spurs.
The Spurs granted my wish from yesterday’s What we learned (also, reverse jinx superpowers still in tact): “As fun as it may be, I need a break from tight games. Whether that relief will come in the form of a blowout win in the next three games or simply as a part of the All-Star break after that is the ultimate question. Don’t get me wrong: I love a team that knows how to tighten the strings and put things together on both ends when the game is on the line, which will be very important in the playoffs, but I would also happily accept a blowout win here or there, just for my own sanity.”