By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-10-12 22:43:55
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12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队的凯尔登·约翰逊(左)与犹他爵士队的凯尔·菲利波夫斯基(22号)和德鲁·尤班克斯在上半场比赛中争夺。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
有一瞬间，凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson) 真的考虑过干脆就这么一直跑下去。
他为了追逐一个松动的球，徒劳地在球场上狂奔了半场，却没能赶在球出界造成马刺队失误之前抓住它。
约翰逊的冲力让他越过篮筐，冲进了通往球场的球员通道，跑过了球员休息室，几乎一路跑到了弗罗斯特银行中心深处供球员家属休息的房间。
“我应该直接跑到停车场去的，”约翰逊说。
周六，约翰逊最终结束了他在球员通道里的长跑，在17,635名球迷的热烈欢呼声中回到了球场。
马刺队当晚需要他。至少在这场季前赛中，球队对他的需要程度不亚于任何一名球员。
约翰逊替补出场拿下20分，帮助马刺队以126-120战胜了犹他爵士队。在比赛中，约翰逊再次展现出他作为一名潜在的第六人所能带来的破坏力。
“他正在享受比赛，”主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说。“他是一个相当有侵略性的球员，而且他打得非常自信。”
约翰逊是马刺队替补席上四名得分上双的球员之一，其中包括桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(Sandro Mamukelashvili)的15分。首发球员朱利安·尚帕尼(Julian Champagnie)和杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)也毫不逊色，各得15分。
特雷·琼斯(Tre Jones)为马刺队替补席的统治力锦上添花，他5投5中，得到10分，并为球队贡献了13次抢断中的5次。
马刺队缺少了一批主力球员，领衔的是维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)。为了休息和身体保养，这位马刺队的当家球星缺席了本赛季的第二场季前赛。
犹他爵士队也缺少了一批轮换球员，包括全明星前锋劳里·马尔卡宁(Lauri Markkanen)。
科林·塞克斯顿(Collin Sexton)得到24分，领衔爵士队。
以下是周五比赛的三大看点，这场胜利帮助马刺队以2胜1负的战绩开启了周二开始的迈阿密和休斯顿的季前赛收官之旅:
- 约翰逊的表现就像队中最有资历的球员
约翰逊在这场周六的比赛中大放异彩，而就在一天前，他刚刚度过了自己的25岁生日。即使在这个仍然略显稚嫩的年纪，约翰逊仍然是球队中效力时间最长的球员。
在他的第六个赛季，他是最接近马刺队精神火炬手的人选。
约翰逊用行动证明了他对球队的承诺，他以自己所说的职业生涯最佳状态参加了训练营。他在休赛期减掉了10磅体重，他说他在球场上可以感受到这种改变。
“我感觉自己很快，很有力量，”约翰逊说。“这是我很久以来感觉最好的一次。”
尽管波波维奇还没有确定约翰逊在新赛季中的角色，但很有可能他会像上赛季结束时那样——以替补身份开始新赛季。
周六的比赛中，约翰逊13投9中，不断冲击篮筐，并在一次快攻中隔扣泰勒·亨德里克斯(Taylor Hendricks)，精彩的表现展现了他作为第六人如何影响比赛。
- 防守反击是制胜法宝
在周六比赛的前三节，马刺队和爵士队陷入了一场拉锯战。犹他爵士队以91-88的比分领先进入第四节，两队都没有打出自己的风格，也没有哪一方能够控制比赛。
马刺队在最后一节开始时改变了比赛，他们派上了一套以外线球员为主、以制造失误为目标的阵容。
在特雷·琼斯、杰里米·索汉和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)的满场飞奔下，马刺队打出了一波10-0的得分高潮，开启了第四节。爵士队在那段时间里出现了4次失误。
当约翰逊用一记令全场沸腾的扣篮结束这波进攻狂潮时，马刺队已经以98-91领先。此后，他们再也没有落后过。
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(54号)在上半场比赛中突破犹他爵士队的德鲁·尤班克斯(左)的防守。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
“那套阵容确实改变了比赛的走势，”波波维奇说。“他们非常快，很有侵略性，手感很好，利用抢断轻松得分。很多时候，我们需要的就是这个。”
马刺队全场利用爵士队的22次失误得到了24分。其中13次失误来自于马刺队球员的抢断。
马刺队的快攻得分以26-14领先。他们在内线得分方面以70-38的惊人优势战胜了犹他爵士队。
这是赢得篮球比赛的良方。
- 柯林斯最终找到了自己的节奏
扎克·柯林斯(Zach Collins)在周六的比赛中出场，这是他自4月14日以来首次参加正式比赛，当时他在马刺队赛季末战胜底特律活塞队的比赛中右肩盂唇撕裂。
在对阵犹他爵士队的前半场比赛中，柯林斯看起来就像一个已经六个月没有打过球的人。
顶替文班亚马首发出场担任中锋的柯林斯在上半场5投0中，在其他方面也没有做出明显的贡献。
在柯林斯摆脱了一些比赛感觉后，情况发生了一些变化。他在第三节打出了7分钟的高效表现，8投4中，得到10分。
整场比赛，柯林斯得到11分、2个篮板、1次盖帽和1次抢断。他的整体投篮数据并不理想(13投4中)。也许最令人担忧的是，他的三分球仍然没有找回状态(他6投0中)。
然而，柯林斯认为周六的比赛在最重要的方面取得了成功。他回到了球场上，对自己的手术修复后的肩膀没有任何担心。
“我认为我们的康复做得很好，”柯林斯说。“我很自信，现在它甚至比以前更强壮了。我并不担心它。”
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，犹他爵士队后卫科林·塞克斯顿(2号)在上半场比赛中突破圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)的防守。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，犹他爵士队中锋沃克尔·凯斯勒(左)在上半场比赛中与圣安东尼奥马刺队的克里斯·保罗(3号)和扎克·柯林斯(中)发生身体接触。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队的杰里米·索汉(10号)在上半场比赛中突破犹他爵士队的泰勒·亨德里克斯(左)的防守。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，犹他爵士队后卫科林·塞克斯顿在上半场对阵圣安东尼奥马刺队的比赛中庆祝得分。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)(40号)在上半场比赛中突破犹他爵士队前锋科迪·威廉姆斯(Cody Williams)的防守。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，犹他爵士队的布莱斯·森萨博(Brice Sensabaugh)(28号)在上半场与圣安东尼奥马刺队的凯尔登·约翰逊(中)发生身体接触。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(54号)在上半场面对犹他爵士队前锋凯尔·菲利波夫斯基的防守，试图传球。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，犹他爵士队主教练威尔·哈迪(右)在下半场与爵士队后卫科林·塞克斯顿交流。圣安东尼奥队以126-120获胜。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(右)在下半场与马刺队后卫克里斯·保罗(3号)交流。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫克里斯·保罗(3号)在下半场突破犹他爵士队的科迪·威廉姆斯(5号)和凯尔·菲利波夫斯基的防守。圣安东尼奥队以126-120获胜。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，犹他爵士队前锋凯尔·菲利波夫斯基在下半场面对圣安东尼奥马刺队的凯尔登·约翰逊(0号)的防守，试图上篮。圣安东尼奥队以126-120获胜。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，犹他爵士队后卫杰森·普雷斯顿(Jason Preston)(10号)在下半场与圣安东尼奥马刺队的克里斯·保罗和桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(54号)发生身体接触。圣安东尼奥队以126-120获胜。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，犹他爵士队后卫杰森·普雷斯顿(10号)在下半场突破圣安东尼奥马刺队的斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(5号)的防守。圣安东尼奥队以126-120获胜。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队的特雷·琼斯(33号)和凯尔登·约翰逊在下半场得分后做出反应。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
2024年10月12日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛中，犹他爵士队后卫科林·塞克斯顿(2号)在下半场面对圣安东尼奥马刺队的莱利·米尼克斯(Riley Minix)(27号)的防守，试图投篮。圣安东尼奥队以126-120获胜。(美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特)
点击查看原文：3 takeaways as Keldon Johnson sprints San Antonio Spurs past Jazz
3 takeaways as Keldon Johnson sprints San Antonio Spurs past Jazz
San Antonio Spurs’ Keldon Johnson, left, tangles with Utah Jazz’s Kyle Filipowski (22) and Drew Eubanks during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
For a moment, Keldon Johnson considered the idea of just keeping running.
He had chased a loose ball half the length of the court in vain, failing to catch up with it before it rolled out of bounds for a Spurs turnover.
Johnson’s momentum carried him past the basket, into the tunnel leading to the court, past the players’ hallway restroom and almost all the way to the family room deep in the bowels of the Frost Bank Center.
“I should have kept going to the parking lot,” Johnson said.
Johnson eventually returned from his long jog through the tunnel Saturday, emerging to a rousing ovation from 17,635 fans.
The Spurs needed him on this night. At least as much as a team could need any player during a preseason game.
Johnson’s 20 points off the bench helped spark the Spurs to a 126-120 victory over the Utah Jazz. In doing so, Johnson once again showed flashes of the damage he can wreak as a potential sixth man.
“He’s feeling his oats,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He is a pretty aggressive individual, and he is playing very confidently.”
Johnson was one of four Spurs to score double figures off the bench, a list that included 15 points from Sandro Mamukelashvili. Not to be outdone, starters Julian Champagnie and Jeremy Sochan added 15 points apiece.
Tre Jones added to the Spurs’ bench domination, scoring 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting and swiping five of the team’s 13 steals.
The Spurs were without a list of key players, headlined by Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs’ star attraction sat out for the second time this preseason for rest and body maintenance.
Utah was without a cadre of rotation players as well, including All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen.
Collin Sexton scored 24 points to lead the Jazz.
Here are three takeaways from Friday’s victory, which improved the Spurs to 2-1 heading into a preseason closing road trip to Miami and Houston that begins Tuesday:
1. Johnson playing like the team’s most tenured player
Johnson starred in Saturday’s game, one day after celebrating his 25th birthday. Even at that still-callow age, Johnson remains the longest tenured player on the team.
In his sixth season, he is the closest to what counts as a torch-bearer for the Spurs Way.
Johnson demonstrated his commitment to the team by arriving to training camp in what he described as the best shape of his life. He dropped 10 pounds during the offseason, a transformation he says he can feel on the court.
“I feel fast, I feel strong,” Johnson said. ‘Best I felt in a long time.”
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Though Popovich has not yet set Johnson’s role in stone for the upcoming season, there is a strong likelihood he begins it the same way he finished last season — coming off the bench.
Saturday’s performance — in which Johnson made 9 of 13 shots, consistently attacked the basket and threw down one vicious transition dunk over Taylor Hendricks — showed how he can affect the game as a sixth man.
2. Defense-to-offense was a winning formula
For the first three quarters Saturday, the Spurs and Jazz were engaged in something of a rock fight. Utah led 91-88 heading to the fourth quarter, with neither team looking sharp and neither able to seize control.
The Spurs changed the game in the opening minutes of the final frame with a guard-heavy, turnover-minded lineup on the floor.
With Tre Jones, Jeremy Sochan and Stephon Castle flying all over the place, the Spurs rattled off a 10-0 run to begin the fourth. The Jazz coughed up four turnovers in that span.
By the time Johnson finished the spurt with his crowd-pleasing slam, the Spurs held a 98-91 lead. They would not trail again.
San Antonio Spurs forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) goes to the basket against Utah Jazz’s Drew Eubanks, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
“That group really changed the game a little bit,” Popovich said. “They were very quick, very aggressive, used their hands well, got those turnovers that turned into easy points. Often times, that’s what it takes.”
In all, the Spurs scored 24 points off the Jazz’s 22 turnovers. Thirteen of those turnovers came via live-ball steals on the part of the Spurs.
The Spurs led in fast break points 26-14. They outscored Utah in the paint by an eye-popping margin of 70-38.
It is a good formula for winning basketball games.
3. Collins found his footing eventually
Zach Collins’ appearance Saturday was his first in a competitive game since April 14, when he tore the labrum in his right shoulder during the Spurs’ season-ending win over Detroit.
For the first half against Utah, Collins looked like someone who had not played in six months.
Starting at center in place of Wembanyama, Collins went 0-for-5 in the first half and did not contribute demonstrably in any other area.
That changed a bit after Collins shook some rust off. He had a decent seven-minute shift in the third quarter, scoring 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting.
In all, Collins finished the night with 11 points, a pair of rebounds, a block and a steal. His overall shooting numbers were underwhelming (4 of 13). Perhaps most alarmingly, his 3-point stroke remains MIA (he was 0 for 6).
Collins considered Saturday to be a successful return in the most important area, however. He was back on the floor, with zero concern about his surgically repaired shoulder.
“I think we did the rehab correctly,” Collins said. “I’m pretty confident that it’s even stronger now. I wasn’t worried about it.”
Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) drives against San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, left, tangles with San Antonio Spurs’ Chris Paul (3) and Zach Collins, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs’ Jeremy Sochan (10) goes to the basket against Utah Jazz’s Taylor Hendricks, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton celebrates a basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) drives against Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Utah Jazz’s Brice Sensabaugh (28) collides with San Antonio Spurs’ Keldon Johnson, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) looks to pass as he is defended by Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy, right, speaks with Jazz guard Collin Sexton during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 126-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, right, speaks with Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) drives against Utah Jazz’s Cody Williams (5) and Kyle Filipowski during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 126-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski goes to the basket against San Antonio Spurs’ Keldon Johnson (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 126-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Utah Jazz guard Jason Preston (10) tangles with San Antonio Spurs’ Chris Paul and Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 126-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Utah Jazz guard Jason Preston (10) drives against San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 126-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs’ Tre Jones (33) and Keldon Johnson react after a basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) attempts to shoot against San Antonio Spurs’ Riley Minix (27) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 126-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News