Mavericks thumped by Spurs, again, but Marvin Bagley III makes franchise history in debut

The Mavs, attempting to integrate three new players into their lineup, lacked continuity in their seventh straight loss.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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The Dallas Mavericks suffered a 138-125 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night, extending their season-long losing streak to seven games. Despite a strong debut from newly acquired Marvin Bagley III, who set a franchise record with 8 offensive rebounds, the Mavericks struggled to integrate their three new players and lacked continuity against the second-best team in the Western Conference. Spurs guard Stephon Castle had a career-high 40 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in the win.

Why it matters

The Mavericks' struggles to integrate their new players and end their losing streak raise questions about the team's identity and direction as they head towards another likely season in the NBA draft lottery. However, Bagley's impressive debut provides a glimmer of hope that the new additions can make an impact and help the team turn things around.

The details

In his Mavericks debut, Marvin Bagley III had 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 24 minutes off the bench. He set a franchise record with 8 offensive rebounds, passing Chris Gatling's previous record of 6 set in 1996. The Mavericks' other new additions, Khris Middleton, Tyus Jones, and AJ Johnson, also saw limited minutes as the team continues to integrate them into the lineup.

  • The Mavericks' loss to the Spurs on Saturday night was their seventh straight defeat.
  • Bagley's franchise-record 8 offensive rebounds came in his Mavericks debut.

The players

Stephon Castle

A San Antonio Spurs guard who recorded a career-high 40 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in the win over the Mavericks.

Marvin Bagley III

The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, who was recently acquired by the Mavericks and had an impressive debut with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

Cooper Flagg

The Mavericks' rookie who was limited to just 26 minutes due to back stiffness, finishing with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Victor Wembanyama

The Spurs' star rookie who had a modest 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks in the win.

Jason Kidd

The Mavericks' head coach who is tasked with integrating the team's new additions into the lineup.

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What they’re saying

“They just told me to go play. It's a great opportunity for me here. Just go out and play and be myself and make the most of these last few games we have left of the season.”

— Marvin Bagley III

What’s next

The Mavericks will try to snap their losing streak when they face the Phoenix Suns on Monday, a game that newly acquired Khris Middleton hopes to play in as he joins the team.

The takeaway

The Mavericks' struggles to integrate their new players and end their losing streak highlight the challenges of midseason roster changes, but Marvin Bagley III's impressive debut provides a glimmer of hope that the new additions can make a positive impact and help the team turn things around in the final stretch of the season.