By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-10-10 11:27:06
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
2024年10月9日星期三，在弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛上，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(5号)突破奥兰多魔术队前锋弗朗茨·瓦格纳(22号)的防守。圣安东尼奥以107-97战胜奥兰多。
克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)在将球传给这位新秀，却没有看到他带球突破上篮后，把斯蒂芬·卡斯尔拉到一边聊天。
“我说，‘你在干什么，伙计？你每次进去，都会发生好事，’”保罗说。
对马刺队来说幸运的是，在周三晚上以107-97战胜奥兰多的季前赛中，这位乐透新秀很少有这样被动的时刻。
卡斯尔替补出场22分钟，得到全队最高的17分，外加4次助攻和2次抢断。他10罚7中，全场9投4中，其中三分球5投2中。
在观看了周一输给俄克拉荷马城雷霆队的比赛中自己6次失误的表现后，他将失误数减少到只有1次。
但最引人注目的是他攻击篮筐的方式。
“我只是想利用我的速度去冲击篮筐，然后他们就会试图回防，这会让他们陷入困境，”他在谈到自己如何获得罚球机会时说。
卡斯尔的两个三分球也很突出，主要是因为外线投篮并不是他在上赛季作为康涅狄格大学新生的强项，当时他在主要以防守为主的角色中，场均只有2.2次三分出手，命中率为26.7%。
尽管样本量很小，但他对阵魔术队的远投表现表明，他的三分球可能比预期的要好。
“我同意，”他说。“这只是我一直在努力的结果，我只是坚持在训练馆里训练，对自己充满信心。我的队友们对我超级有信心，他们希望我出手投篮。”
并且要保持进攻性。
“他是个硬汉，”马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说。
至于39岁的保罗，他已经准备好继续与这位19岁的佐治亚州后辈分享他的智慧。
“我是一个篮球迷，所以我大学时就看过他打球，”保罗说。“有机会成为他的队友，日复一日地看到他的进步，也很有趣。”
马穆克拉什维利(Mamukelashvili)和韦斯利(Wesley)争取更重要的角色
两名年轻球员替补出场贡献了令人印象深刻的表现，他们都在争取更重要的角色。
在17分钟的出场时间里，前锋桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(Sandro Mamukelashvili)三分球6投3中，得到9分，外加4次助攻。在23分钟的出场时间里，后卫布雷克·韦斯利(Blake Wesley)贡献了5分和5次助攻，只有1次失误。
当被问及马穆克拉什维利需要做什么才能进入轮换阵容时，波波维奇说：“我认为只要保持稳定就可以了。他的信心正在增强。他一直坐在替补席的末端，让他对自己感觉良好真的很重要。这对他的各个方面都有帮助。”
前两场比赛，马穆克拉什维利三分球10投6中。
“他的三分球肯定更有信心了，”波波维奇说。“他这两个晚上都做到了，所以如果他能继续投进这样的球，我们就必须认真考虑他了。”
韦斯利在前两个赛季场均出场15.8分钟后，也在为争取更多上场时间而努力，他也表现出色。他贡献了全队最高的12次助攻，而失误只有1次。
“他只是更投入了，”波波维奇说。“他在防守端完全投入了，在进攻端做出了更好的决定，明白他的工作更多的是组织而不是得分。他现在比过去更明白这一点。”
波波维奇为佛罗里达祈福
“我们为佛罗里达州的每个人祈福，”他说。“在电视上看到这样的事情真是太可怕了。想想他们经历了什么，现在他们又要经历一次，我们都祝愿他们一切顺利。但这真的很艰难。难以想象。”
当地时间周三晚上，飓风“米尔顿”以三级飓风的强度登陆佛罗里达州中西部海岸。这对仍在从致命的飓风“海琳”中恢复过来的佛罗里达州来说，是又一次打击。
由于担心飓风“米尔顿”及其对遭受风暴袭击的佛罗里达州的影响，魔术队和新奥尔良鹈鹕队原定于周五在奥兰多举行的季前赛被取消。这场比赛将不会重新安排。
魔术队原定于周四返回佛罗里达州中部，但球队发言人表示，球队决定在圣安东尼奥多待一天，然后在周五离开。
“我想向佛罗里达州的父老乡亲们表达我们的思念和祈祷，”奥兰多魔术队主教练贾马尔·莫斯利(Jamahl Mosley)说。“我们希望他们能平安度过难关。”
2024年10月9日星期三，在弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(5号)试图抢断奥兰多魔术队前锋弗朗茨·瓦格纳(22号)的传球。圣安东尼奥以107-97战胜奥兰多。
2024年10月9日星期三，在弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(右)试图在奥兰多魔术队中锋莫里茨·瓦格纳(Moritz Wagner)面前投篮。圣安东尼奥以107-97战胜奥兰多。
2024年10月7日星期一，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋哈里森·英格拉姆(Harrison Ingram，55号)与俄克拉荷马城雷霆队前锋奥斯曼·迪昂(Ousmane Dieng，13号)在圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫布兰登·波士顿(Brandon Boston Jr.，4号)和后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(5号)面前争夺篮板。马刺队以107-112负于雷霆队。
2024年10月7日星期一，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛下半场，俄克拉荷马城雷霆队前锋马莱顿·莱昂斯(Malevy Leons，17号)在圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(5号)和圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫西迪·西索科(Sidy Cissoko，25号)面前投篮。马刺队以107-112负于雷霆队。
2024年10月7日星期一，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson，0号)对后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(5号)的扣篮做出反应。马刺队以107-112负于俄克拉荷马城雷霆队。
2024年10月7日星期一，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇与后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(5号)交谈。马刺队以107-112负于雷霆队。
2024年10月7日星期一，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(5号)在俄克拉荷马城雷霆队中锋以赛亚·哈尔滕施泰因(Isaiah Hartenstein，55号)面前投篮。
2024年10月7日星期一，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(54号)抢到一个地板球。马刺队以107-112负于俄克拉荷马城雷霆队。
2024年10月7日星期一，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(54号)将球传给布雷克·韦斯利。
2024年10月9日星期三，在弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫布雷克·韦斯利(14号)试图从奥兰多魔术队后卫麦克·麦克朗(Mac McClung，8号)手中抢断球。圣安东尼奥以107-97战胜奥兰多。
2024年10月9日星期三，在弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫布雷克·韦斯利(14号)从奥兰多魔术队前锋杰伦·斯劳森(Jalen Slawson，18号)面前抢到一个防守篮板。圣安东尼奥以107-97战胜奥兰多。
2024年10月7日星期一，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫布雷克·韦斯利(14号)从俄克拉荷马城雷霆队前锋亚当·弗拉格勒(Adam Flagler，14号)面前抢到球。马刺队以107-112负于雷霆队。
2024年10月7日星期一，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季前赛上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫布雷克·韦斯利(14号)突破俄克拉荷马城雷霆队后卫亚历克斯·卡鲁索(Alex Caruso，9号)的防守。
点击查看原文：Stephon Castle's ability to draw fouls highlighted in Spurs win
Stephon Castle’s ability to draw fouls highlighted in Spurs win
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) drives past Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) during the first half of their NBA preseason game with Orlando at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Oct 9, 2024. San Antonio beat Orlando 107-97.
Chris Paul pulled Stephon Castle aside for a chat after passing the ball ahead to the rookie and then failing to see him drive to the basket.
"I said, ‘What are you doing, man? Every time you go in there, something good happens,’ " Paul said.
Fortunately for the Spurs, it was one of the rare passive moments for the lottery-pick rookie in their 107-97 preseason win over Orlando on Wednesday night.
Castle finished with a team-high 17 points, four assists and two steals in 22 minutes off the bench. He sank seven of his game-high 10 free throws to go along with 4-for-9 shooting from the field, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range.
And after he watched film of his six-turnover performance in Monday’s loss to Oklahoma City, he reduced that number to just one.
But it was the way he attacked the basket that stood out most.
“Just trying to use my speed to try to beat somebody to the rim, and they are trying to recover, so it puts them in bad spots,” he said of his ability to get to the foul line.
Castle’s two 3s also stood out, mainly because perimeter shooting wasn’t his thing as a freshman last season at Connecticut, where he shot 26.7% from deep on just 2.2 attempts per game in a mainly defensive-minded role.
Although the sample size is small, his long-range shooting against the Magic signals he could be better than advertised from downtown.
“I would say so,” he said. “It’s just the work I have been putting in, just staying in the gym constantly, being confident in it. My teammates are super confident in me, and they want me to take those shots.”
And to stay on the attack.
“He is a tough nut,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
As for the 39-year-old Paul, he’s ready to continue sharing his wisdom with the 19-year-old Georgia native.
“I am a basketball fan, so I watched him play in college,” Paul said. “To get a chance to be his teammate and to see him develop day in and day out, has been fun too.”
Mamukelashvili, Wesley make bid for bigger roles
Two young players vying for bigger roles turned in impressive performances off the bench.
In 17 minutes, forward Sandro Mamukelashvili had nine points on the strength of a 3-for-6 effort from the 3-point stripe to go along with four assists. In 23 minutes, guard Blake Wesley contributed five points and five assists against only one turnover.
Asked what Mamukelashvili needs to do to crack his rotation, Popovich said, “I would say just to be solid. His confidence is building. He has always been at the end of the bench and him feeling good about himself is really important. It helps every facet of his game.”
Through two games, Mamukelashvili has connected on 6 of 10 from 3-point territory.
“He definitely has more confidence in his three-point shot,” Popovich said. “He did that on both nights, so that makes him somebody we have to look at very seriously if he is going to continue to make shots like that.”
Wesley, who has produced a team-high 12 assists against just one turnover, has also stood out in his bid for more playing time after averaging 15.8 minutes through his first two seasons.
“He is just more committed,” Popovich said. “He has totally bought in defensively, making better decisions offensively with the ball, understanding his job is more to distribute than to score. He gets that now much better than he did in the past.”
Popovich pulling for Florida
“We are pulling for everybody in Florida," he said. “That’s just a horrible thing to watch on TV. To think of what they went through and now they have to do it again, we all wish them well. But that’s a tough one. Can’t imagine.”
Milton made landfall Wednesday night as a Category 3 storm on Florida’s central west coast. It’s another blow for a state still reeling from deadly Hurricane Helene.
Concerns over Hurricane Milton and its effects on the storm-ravaged state forced cancellation of Friday’s preseason game in Orlando between the Magic and New Orleans. The game will not be rescheduled.
The Magic were scheduled to return to central Florida on Thursday, but a team spokesperson said the team decided to stay an extra day in San Antonio before departing Friday.
“I want to send our thoughts and prayers to the people back home in Florida,” Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We hope they make it through safely.”
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) tries to steal a pass by Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) during the first half of their NBA preseason game at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Oct 9, 2024. San Antonio beat Orlando 107-97.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, right, tries to shoot over Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner during the first half of their NBA preseason game at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Oct 9, 2024. San Antonio beat Orlando 107-97.
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Ingram (55) and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng (13) fight for the ball in front of San Antonio Spurs guard Brandon Boston Jr. (4) and guard Stephon Castle (5) during the second half of a pre-season NBA match-up at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Thunder, 112-107.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Malevy Leons (17) shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) and San Antonio Spurs guard Sidy Cissoko (25) in the second half of the pre-season NBA match-up at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Thunder, 112-107.
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (0) reacts to a dunk made by guard Stephon Castle (5) in the second half of the pre-season NBA match-up against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Thunder, 112-107.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich talks to San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the second half of the pre-season NBA match-up at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Thunder, 112-107.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) in the first half of the pre-season NBA match-up at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio Spurs forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) recovers a loose ball in the second half of the pre-season NBA match-up against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Thunder, 112-107.
San Antonio Spurs forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) throws the ball to Blake Wesley during the first half of the pre-season NBA match-up against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley (14) tries to steal the ball from Orlando Magic guard Mac McClung (8) during the second half of their NBA preseason game at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Oct 9, 2024. San Antonio beat Orlando 107-97
San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley (14) grabs a defensive rebound over Orlando Magic forward Jalen Slawson (18)during the second half of their NBA preseason game at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Oct 9, 2024. San Antonio beat Orlando 107-97
San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley (14) keeps the ball away from Oklahoma City Thunder forward Adam Flagler (14) in the second half of the pre-season NBA match-up at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Thunder, 112-107.
San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley (14) drives past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) in the first half of the pre-season NBA match-up at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News