1997-01-02, By Jerry Briggs Express-News Staff Writer
麦克斯韦尔觉得作为马刺首发会打得更好
马刺后卫弗农·麦克斯韦尔对这个赛季自己表现得忽高忽低提出了自己的理论。“替补出场对我来说很难，”麦克斯韦尔说，场均得到 11 分，球场命中率仅为 37.5%。“我觉得这正是我到目前为止打得这么糟糕的原因。”
但麦克斯韦尔很可能在今天晚上连续第三场首发出场，当时人手更加短缺的马刺队将在阿拉莫圆顶主场迎战犹他爵士队，比赛时间 7:30。“圣安东尼奥马刺”，整个赛季都因伤势所困，将没有后卫文森特·德尔·内格罗（肩部挫伤）和前锋多米尼克·威尔金斯（膝盖、髌腱拉伤）。
此外，全明星中锋大卫·罗宾逊自上周左脚骨裂后将缺席第四场连续比赛。罗宾逊将再伤停 6-8 周。
“战胜他们会很困难，”麦克斯韦尔说。“但如果我们赢了，那将是一场伟大的胜利。我认为我们将不得不打出无失误的篮球。他们现在打得很好。我们必须发挥出最佳水准。”
爵士队（22-7）自 12 月 12 日创球队纪录的 15 连胜被终结以来表现有所下滑。他们在最近 10 场比赛中战绩为 5 胜 5 负。马刺队（7-20）在周一与温哥华队的比赛中以 95-88 获胜，终结了三连败。
自 12 月 23 日主场对阵迈阿密时左脚第五跖骨骨折以来，圣安东尼奥马刺 2 胜 1 负。在下一场比赛中，德尔·内格罗和威尔金斯在西雅图受伤。现在球队正忙于寻找生力军和进攻，特别是当小前锋肖恩·艾利奥特右膝肿胀一瘸一拐的情况下。
艾利奥特在今天晚上被列为出战成疑。
作为本赛季大部分时间的后场替补，麦克斯韦尔在 27 场比赛中首发出场六次。其中两次首发来自上次客场之旅。他在温哥华的比赛中充分利用了这个机会，帮助球队以赛季最高的 23 分获得了重要胜利。
“当我很时，那个节奏就出现了，”麦克斯韦尔说。“一切都似乎到位了。这比任何事情都更能帮助我（对阵温哥华）。”
作为首发，他场均得到 15.8 分，球场命中率为 42.1%。作为替补，麦克斯韦尔经常表现不佳，场均得到 10.5 分，球场命中率为 35.3%。
“他还没有首发出场足够的时间来进行比较，”马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇说。“如果你看看那些数据，那就是妄下结论。事实是他现在投篮会更好。他有空位机会。他平衡了。他的节奏感更好了。”
波波维奇表示，麦克斯韦尔的投篮惨状不一定源于他的替补角色。
波波维奇说：“弗农的投篮糟糕更多的是因为他投篮的方式。”“他在计时器走完时投出了许多失去平衡的球。这导致命中率较低。”
当得知波波维奇的看法时，麦克斯韦尔并没有放弃自己的理论。
麦克斯韦尔说：“他是主教练。”“我想他有自己的看法。但我感觉首发出场比替补出场更舒服。这比任何事都更能帮助我（近来取得进步）。”
麦克斯韦尔本赛季一些最好的表现出现在他进入首发阵容时。11 月 13 日，当德尔·内格罗因膝盖扭伤缺席时，他得到了 22 分，并帮助马刺队以 95-83 击败洛杉矶湖人队。
当麦克斯韦尔首发出场时，马刺队 2 胜 4 负，所有六场比赛都发生在球队在没有罗宾逊的情况下进行比赛的时候，后者因背部受伤错过了赛季前 18 场比赛。当罗宾逊没有出场时，马刺队的总战绩为 4 胜 17 负。
如果麦克斯韦尔正在争取首发的位置，他可能会再得到至少两次机会来证明自己的观点。德尔·内格罗和威尔金斯在星期五晚上客场对阵丹佛队的比赛中出场的可能性不大。
威尔金斯今天将进行膝盖核磁共振检查，这将为马刺队提供更多关于他病情的信息。将于 1 月 12 日年满 37 岁的威尔金斯场均得到 18.9 分，位列球队前列。
波波维奇说：“我们现有球员只需尽最大努力，如果他们做到了，你就会高兴地离开。”
有人乐观的传言称，在 10 月 29 日进行背部手术后本赛季还没有参加比赛的前锋查克·帕森可能会在六周后复出。
帕森在星期三的训练后骑着固定自行车时微笑说：“拭目以待。”在训练中，他在一边投了几次后仰跳投。
帕森将随队前往丹佛。这将是他本赛季的第一次客场之旅。当他星期一访问西海岸运动医学诊所时，他可能会获得开始训练的许可。
爵士队在去年 5 月在西部半决赛中淘汰了马刺队，他们在客场连输三场。但他们通过早些时候战胜芝加哥、迈阿密和西雅图赢得了马刺队的尊重。
艾利奥特说：“就团结一致而言，他们可能是（西部）最强大的球队。”“他们打得最好。他们在我们的主场。希望这对我们来说是个优势。”
在客场之旅中，马刺队在与西雅图队的身体对抗比赛中表现出色，并以八分之差输掉了比赛。他们似乎在对阵波特兰队的比赛中缺少火花，在落后 35 分的情况下，在下半场以 24 分败北。但他们在对阵温哥华的比赛中恢复了努力和专注。
艾利奥特说：“对阵波特兰队的那场比赛就是那种比赛之一。”“我们错失了一些轻松的投篮机会。当我们落后时，我们有一种“我需要自己完成”的心态。每个人在这场比赛中都表现得有点自私。我们没有将球多传几次。
“与温哥华的比赛中，我们表现得更好。那对我们来说是一场重要的比赛，因为他们曾两次击败我们。我们认为没有理由在主场（12 月 6 日）输给他们那场比赛。我们走出去，我们表现得很好。”
点击查看原文：Maxwell sees better numbers as a Spurs starter
Maxwell sees better numbers as a Spurs starter
Spurs guard Vernon Maxwell has a theory about why he has played so inconsistently this season. It's hard for me to come off the bench,'' said Maxwell, averaging 11 points per game and shooting only 37.5 percent from the field. I feel that is the reason I’m playing as bad as I have so far.‘’
But Maxwell will likely get his third straight start tonight when the Spurs, even more short-handed than usual, play host to the Utah Jazz at 7:30 in the Alamodome.
San Antonio, hurt by injuries all season, will be without guard Vinny Del Negro (right shoulder bruise) and forward Dominique Wilkins (right knee, patella tendon strain).
In addition, All-Star center David Robinson will miss his fourth straight game since breaking a bone in his left foot last week. Robinson is out another 6-8 weeks.
Beating them will be tough,'' Maxwell said. But if we come up with a win, it would be big. I think we’re going to have to play error-free basketball. They’re playing great right now. We’ll have to be at our best.‘’
The Jazz (22-7) have cooled off some since their franchise-record 15-game winning streak ended Dec. 12. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games. The Spurs (7-20) broke a three-game losing streak with a 95-88 victory at Vancouver on Monday.
San Antonio is 1-2 since Robinson broke the fifth metatarsal in his left foot against Miami on Dec. 23. In the next game, Del Negro and Wilkins suffered injuries at Seattle. Now the team is scrambling for live bodies and offense, especially with forward Sean Elliott limping on a swollen right knee.
Elliott is listed as questionable for tonight.
Maxwell, a reserve at shooting guard for most of the season, has six starts in 27 games. Two of those starts came on the last road trip. And he took full advantage of the situation at Vancouver, helping the team to an important victory with a season-high 23 points.
When I start, the rhythm is there,'' Maxwell said. It seems like everything is in place. That’s what helped me (against Vancouver) more than anything.‘’
As a starter, he has averaged 15.8 points on 42.1-percent shooting from the field. As a reserve, Maxwell has often struggled, averaging 10.5 points and hitting 35.3 percent from the floor.
He hasn't started enough to make a comparison,'' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. If you look at those statistics, it would be jumping to a conclusion. What is a fact is that he is taking better shots now. He’s open. He’s balanced. He’s more in a rhythm.‘’
Popovich said Maxwell’s shooting woes don’t necessarily stem from his role as a reserve.
A lot of Vern's poor shooting had more to do with the kind of shots he was taking,'' Popovich said. He shot a lot with the clock winding down, off-balance. It resulted in a poorer percentage.‘’
When told of Popovich’s sentiments, Maxwell didn’t back away from his theory.
He's the coach,'' Maxwell said. I guess he’s got his opinion. But I feel more comfortable starting than coming off the bench. That’s what’s helped me (lately) more than anything.‘’
Maxwell has enjoyed some of his best moments this season when he has been in the starting lineup. On Nov. 13, when Del Negro was out with a twisted knee, he scored 22 points and helped the Spurs defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 95-83.
The Spurs are 2-4 when Maxwell starts, and all six games have been when the team has played without Robinson, who missed the first 18 games of the season with a back injury. The Spurs are 4-17 overall when Robinson hasn’t played.
If Maxwell is pushing for a starting job, he may get at least two more chances to prove his point. Both Del Negro and Wilkins are doubtful for the team’s game at Denver on Friday night.
Wilkins will have an MRI test on his knee today, which should provide the Spurs with more answers on his condition. Wilkins, who will turn 37 on Jan. 12, iC leading the team with an average of 18.9 points per game.
The people we have playing just have to do the best they can,'' Popovich said, and if they do that, then you walk away feeling good about it.‘’
There have been optimistic whispers that forward Chuck Person, who hasn’t played a game this season after back surgery on Oct. 29, could be back in six weeks.
``We’ll see,‘’ Person said, smiling as he rode a stationary bicycle after Wednesday’s practice, during which he shot some jumpers on the side.
Person will travel with the team to Denver. It will be his first road trip of the season. He could receive clearance to start practice when he visits a West Coast sports-medicine clinic Monday.
The Jazz, who eliminated the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals last May, have dropped three games in a row on the road. But they have earned the respect of the Spurs with earlier victories over Chicago, Miami and Seattle.
They're probably the strongest team (in the West) as far as togetherness,'' Elliott said. They’re playing the best ball. We have them at home. Hopefully, that’ll be an advantage for us.‘’
On the road trip, the Spurs played well in a physical match against Seattle and lost by eight points. They seemed to lack spark against Portland, falling behind by as many as 35 in the second half before losing by 24. But the effort and focus returned against Vancouver.
It was just one of those nights against Portland,'' Elliott said. We missed some easy shots. Then when we got behind, we had the mindset of, `I’m going to do it myself.’ Everyone got a little into themselves in that game. We didn’t make extra passes.
``Against Vancouver, we played much better. That was a big game for us because they had beaten us twice. We felt there was no reason we should have lost that game to them at home (on Dec. 6). We came out and we played well.‘’
By Jerry Briggs Express-News Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News