By Jeff McDonald, Spurs Writer | San Antonio Express-News, 2024-04-06 11:43:02
由Google Gemini Pro人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
Victor Wembanyama 将在星期天在 Frost 银行中心迎战 76 人队的大个子 Joel Embiid，这将是一场备受期待的二番战。
Victor Wembanyama 完全可以称病歇一歇。
在 NBA 历史上最轰动的六个月和 68 场比赛中，没人会责备马刺队这个 20 岁的明星在下周轻松度过。
毕竟，有人可能会说，对于 Wembanyama 来说，今夏在老家巴黎参加法国国家队代表奥运会的比赛比在马刺队末五场 NBA 选秀乐透季的比赛中发生的事情更重要。
任何相信这一点的人都不了解 Wembanyama。
“这只是我的心态，”Wembanyama 说，“我对这支球队尽心尽力。我对组织、球队和球迷负有责任。因此，没有理由不出场。”
即便有那么一点想要休息的念头，马刺队的下一个对手也会让极具竞争力的 Wembanyama 的想法成为泡影。
上一次马刺队面对费城，Joel Embiid 给他们的脖子挂了一个70 分的牌子。
1 月 22 日在富国银行中心，Embiid 在 76 人队 133-123 获胜的比赛中大爆发，创下了费城球队的新纪录。这也标志着有史以来对阵马刺队得分最高的一次。
对重赛，星期日在 Frost 银行中心，马刺队这个法国天才已经期待了很长时间。
“我关于 Victor 了解的一件事是，”马刺队前锋 Sandro Mamukelashvili 说，“每次他遇到一个艰难的对手，当他走出更衣室后，他已经在日历上标记了这件事。
自从 Wembanyama 和 Embiid 上次在费城纠缠以来，发生了很多事情。
Embiid 在对阵马刺队的比赛中再打了两场比赛，随后因左膝外侧半月板受伤而接受了手术，被迫停赛。
这名全明星中锋缺席了 29 场比赛，并在星期二对阵俄克拉荷马城时复出。在复出的前两场比赛中，他场均得到 26.5 分，并战胜了雷霆队和迈阿密热火队。
Embiid 长时间的缺席将使他远低于获得第二个连续 NBA 最有价值球员奖项所需的 65 场比赛的门槛。在星期六费城队对阵孟菲斯队的比赛之前，他参加了 36 场比赛。
星期日访问圣安东尼奥是在费城队背靠背的第二晚进行，这场备受期待的 Embiid-Wembanyama 对决可能会泡汤。
Wembanyama 希望 Embiid 被允许上场，部分原因是为了展示他和马刺队自 1 月以来取得了多大进步。
“我们会做出我们需要的全部调整，”Wembanyama 说，“这和对阵其他人一样。我们全年都在与优秀球员较量。每场比赛都不同，但我们会有关于他的球探报告。”
有一件事是肯定的：在本赛季有限的上场时间里，Embiid 一直是一个 MVP 级别的力量。
如果他出场的比赛足够达到资格的话，他职业生涯最高的场均 34.8 分将领先整个联盟。目前为止，这份荣誉属于达拉斯的 Luka Doncic，场均 33.8 分。
马刺队对 Embiid 的场均得分贡献很大，1 月份时给了他 70 分。那天晚上 Embiid 状态爆棚，41 投 24 中。
马刺队无法让他远离罚球线，Embiid 在那里 23 罚 21 中。
“他是 MVP，一位令人难以置信的球员，”Mamukelashvili 说，“很难阻止他。我惊讶于他得70分，但也确实很难防守他。有时像他这样的球员会大发雷霆。”
在 Embiid 那晚的职业生涯最佳表现中，Wembanyama 也表现得很精彩，19 投 10 中拿下 33 分。
Wembanyama 在赛季末的场均得分为 21.1 分、10.6 个篮板、1.3 次抢断和联盟最高的 3.5 次封盖。他将成为联盟历史上仅有的四名场均 20 分和 10 个篮板，封盖至少为 3.5 次的新秀之一，与大卫·罗宾逊（1989-90 年）、沙奎尔·奥尼尔（1992-93 年）和阿隆佐·莫宁（1992-93 年）齐名。
他将成为自 1997-98 赛季的蒂姆·邓肯以来马刺队的第一位年度最佳新秀，并且应该被考虑为年度最佳防守球员以及全联盟防守阵容和全 NBA 阵容。
“我认为没有人真正做过他做过的事情，所以我不知道他的上限在哪，”马刺队教练格雷格·波波维奇说。 “你看看他的数字，并将它们与其他所有人进行比较——勒布朗（詹姆斯）、凯文·杜兰特和其他人，这真是太棒了。我只需要坐下来享受他的表现。”
对于 Embiid 和费城队来说，在富国银行中心度过那个令人难忘的夜晚之后，这个赛季发生了转折。
自他们的大牌球星接受手术以来，76 人队一直不再像以前一样，在 42-35 分的情况下，在东部联盟中排名第八，并且面临着不得不赢一场附加赛才能获得季后赛资格。
与此同时，马刺队进入星期天的比赛，打出了本赛季最好的篮球。当然，在一个仍然有望创下俱乐部历史上最低胜率记录的赛季中，这是一个很低的标准。
在星期五以 111-109 战胜新奥尔良之后，马刺队六战四胜。在这一轮比赛中，两场失利对阵勇士队和丹佛队，总共输了 9 分。
在 19-58 的情况下，马刺队只需要在最后五场比赛中赢得两场即可超过 1996-97 赛季俱乐部的 20-62 胜率，这仍然是该队历史上的最低纪录。
波波维奇说：“这只是时间和过程的问题。” “全明星周末结束后，我们在很多方面都很出色，在很多方面，有很多不同的球员。”
对于 Wembanyama 来说，这可能是赛季最后一周继续坚持的最佳理由。
终于，篮球再次变得有趣，但仍有工作要做。
“我们希望表现出色，”Wembanyama 说，“我们想继续努力。如果我们想变得最好，就没有时间可以浪费。”
原文如下：
Spurs’ Wembanyama has no plans to pack it in
Victor Wembanyama will get a highly-anticipated rematch with 76ers big man Joel Embiid on Sunday at Frost Bank Center.
It would be easy for Victor Wembanyama to simply call it a season.
Six months and 68 appearances into what has been one of the most sensational rookie campaigns in NBA history, nobody would blame the Spurs’ 20-year-old star for taking it easy for the next week.
After all, some might say Wembanyama’s turn for the French national team at this summer’s Olympic games in his hometown of Paris might mean more to him than whatever happens over the final five games of the Spurs’ draft lottery-bound NBA season.
Anyone who believes that doesn’t know Wembanyama.
“It is just my mentality,” Wembanyama said. “I made a commitment to this team. I have a responsibility towards the organization and the team and the fans. So there’s no reason to sit out.”
Even if there was an inkling to take a night off, the Spurs’ next opponent would make it impossible for the ultra-competitive Wembanyama.
The last time the Spurs faced Philadelphia, Joel Embiid hung 70 points around their necks.
Embiid’s explosion, in the 76ers’ 133-123 victory on Jan. 22 at the Wells Fargo Center, set a Philly franchise record. It also marked the most points ever scored against the Spurs.
The rematch, Sunday at the Frost Bank Center, has been long awaited by the Spurs’ French phenom.
“The one thing I know about Victor,” Spurs forward Sandro Mamukelashvili said, “every time he has a tough matchup, he already has it marked on his calendar right after he comes out of the locker room.”
Much has happened in the months since Wembanyama and Embiid last tangled in Philadelphia.
Embiid played two more games after his detonation against the Spurs, then was shut down for surgery to address a lateral meniscus injury in his left knee.
The All-Star center missed 29 games, making his return Tuesday against Oklahoma City. He averaged 26.5 points in his first two games back, victories over the Thunder and Miami Heat.
Embiid’s prolonged absence will leave him far below the 65-game threshold required for him to be eligible for a second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player award. He had logged 36 appearances heading into Philly’s game Saturday at Memphis.
With Sunday’s visit to San Antonio coming on the second night of a back-to-back for the Sixers, there is a chance the anticipated Embiid-Wembanyama showdown could be scuttled.
Wembanyama hopes Embiid is allowed to play, in part to show how far he and the Spurs have come since January.
“We’re going to make all the adaptations we need,” Wembanyama said. “It’s the same as against anybody. We’ve played against dominant players all year long. Each game is different, but we are going to have a scouting report on him.”
This much is certain: Embiid has been an MVP-level force in his limited time on the court this season.
His career-high scoring average of 34.8 points would lead the league had he appeared in enough games to qualify. As it stands, that honor belongs to Dallas’ Luka Doncic at 33.8 points per game.
The Spurs contributed mightily to Embiid’s scoring average, giving up that 70-piece in January. Embiid was on fire that night, going 24 of 41.
The Spurs couldn’t keep him off the foul line, where Embiid made 21 of 23 attempts.
“He was the MVP, an unbelievable player,” Mamukelashvili said. “it’s so hard to try to stop him. I was surprised it was 70, but it’s also hard to guard him. Sometimes a player like that is going to go off.”
Lost in Embiid’s career performance that night was the fact Wembanyama was pretty spectacular too, with 33 points on 10 of 19 shooting.
Wembanyama comes down the home stretch of the season averaging 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals and a league-high 3.5 blocks. He would become one of only four rookies in league history to average 20 and 10 with at least blocks, joining David Robinson (1989-90, Shaquille O’Neal (1992-93) and Alonzo Mourning (1992-93).
He is a shoo-in to become the Spurs’ first Rookie of the Year since Tim Duncan in 1997-98, and ought to gain consideration for Defensive Player of the Year and the All-Defensive and All-NBA teams.
“I don’t think anybody has ever really done what he has done, so I don’t know what the upper level is,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “You look at his numbers and compare them to all the others — LeBron (James), KD (Kevin Durant) and everybody, it’s pretty awesome. I am just sitting back enjoying him.”
For Embiid and the Sixers, the season took a turn after that memorable night at the Wells Fargo Center.
The 76ers haven’t been the same since their star went under the knife and, at 42-35, enter the season’s final week in eighth place in the Eastern Conference and facing the prospect of having to win a play-in game to qualify for the postseason bracket.
The Spurs, meanwhile, enter Sunday’s game playing their best basketball of the season. Granted, it’s a low bar to clear in a campaign still flirting with the possibility of setting a record for the fewest wins in club history.
After a 111-109 win in New Orleans on Friday, the Spurs have won four of six. The two losses in that stretch were by a combined nine points against Golden State and Denver.
At 19-58, the Spurs need only win two of their final five games to surpass the 1996-97 club’s 20-62 mark, which remains the worst in team history.
“It’s just a matter of time and the process,” Popovich said. “After the All-Star break, we have actually been pretty fantastic in a lot of ways, in a lot of categories, with a lot of different players.”
And that might be the best reason of all for Wembanyama to keep clocking in over the final week of the season.
At long last, basketball is becoming fun again, but there is still work to be done.
“We want to finish strong,” Wembanyama said. “We want to build. If we want to be the best, there is no time to be wasted.”
By Jeff McDonald, Spurs Writer, via San Antonio Express-News