By Marilyn Dubinski | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2024-10-15 03:00:00
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。
阵容深度惊人的马刺队在季前赛中展现出更深厚的阵容实力。这对未来的发展来说无疑是个好兆头。
常言道，永远不要对 NBA 季前赛反应过度。这句话在过去是正确的，今天依然如此，但这并不意味着我们就能轻易做到。到目前为止，圣安东尼奥马刺队在通往 2 胜 1 负季前赛战绩的路上展现出了希望，这在很大程度上要归功于角色球员的挺身而出和对额外出场时间的充分利用。有三名球员，他们要么是为了上场时间而战，要么是为了争取更重要的角色，他们的表现尤为突出，所以让我们来看看他们的表现，同时尽量不要反应过度。
斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)的表现已经超出预期
早在选秀大会之前就有报道称，马刺队非常看好卡斯尔，并在今年夏天用第四顺位选中了他。在夏季联赛有限的出场时间里，他兑现了一些人们的期望，但在季前赛中，他才真正焕发了光彩。他不仅在身体和精神上看起来已经做好了征战 NBA 的准备，而且他被诟病的弱点也还没有显现出来。
虽然样本量很小——再说一次，这只是季前赛——但到目前为止，他的三分球命中率已经达到了 42.9%，而在康涅狄格大学时他的三分球命中率只有 26.7%，夏季联赛中也只有 25%。他还场均贡献 3.3 次助攻、2 个篮板和 1 次抢断，同时利用他的力量和速度冲击篮筐，要么获得罚球，要么展现他的球场视野，找到空位球员。在球队取得的两场胜利中，他还接管了第四节的比赛（尽管对手主要是替补球员和边缘 NBA 球员）。
到目前为止，唯一可以批评的地方是，他场均出现 3 次失误，不过他的 9 次失误中有 6 次出现在对阵雷霆队的一场比赛中。他可能还没有完全准备好打他喜欢的控球后卫位置，因为他的控球还需要加强，而且在面对比季前赛更严峻的 NBA 对手时，他可能还会遇到现实的考验，但如果卡斯尔在这个阶段就已经超出了人们的预期，那么这就是另一个让我们对未来感到（或许过于）乐观的原因。
朱利安·尚帕尼(Julian Champagnie)的表现像个先发球员
当宣布德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)将至少缺席前五场比赛以从休赛期的足部手术中恢复时，人们开始讨论谁应该顶替他进入首发阵容。虽然 PtR 网站上的投票者绝大多数都选择了卡斯尔，但格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)在前三场季前赛中选择了熟悉度和投篮，选择了尚帕尼。到目前为止，他的表现已经超出了预期。
尚帕尼已经是马刺队上赛季回归球员中最好的外线射手之一，到目前为止，他一直是马刺队在季前赛中外线最稳定的得分点，三场比赛中三分球 27 投 13 中，场均得到全队最高的 16.8 分。虽然期望他保持这样的数字是不现实的，但这确实引出了一个问题：除了作为瓦塞尔的伤病替补之外，他是否应该继续担任首发？这并不是说他应该完全取代瓦塞尔，而是在瓦塞尔回归后，他应该回到自己更擅长的 小前锋位置。
这当然会把老将哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)挤到替补席上（不，我不认为波波维奇会让杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)替补）。巴恩斯在季前赛中的表现并不尽如人意，但我们还是要再次提醒自己不要反应过度，因为没有证明自己压力的老将很少会在季前赛中发力。无论如何，巴恩斯是一位 consummate 的职业球员，他可能会坦然接受教练给予他的任何角色，所以看看会发生什么将会很有趣。如果他在常规赛开始后没有扭转局面，而波波维奇又想做出改变或想要启用更年轻的球员，那么尚帕尼无疑已经为自己赢得了一个首发位置。
马穆本赛季必须得到上场时间——对吧？
最后，我们来看看马刺队中最引人注目的球员之一。桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(Sandro Mamukelashvili)不仅是球迷的最爱，而且在过去两个赛季中，在为数不多的几次被赋予轮换上场时间的机会中，他也大放异彩。本赛季的季前赛也不例外。由于维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)和扎克·柯林斯(Zach Collins)各缺席了两场比赛，查尔斯·巴斯(Charles Bassey)还没有上场（明天可能会改变），马穆作为替补席上唯一的大个子球员，得到了不少的上场时间。
虽然他在防守端的不足是有目共睹的，但我们很难忽视他在攻防两端带来的感染力，以及他让比赛看起来多么有趣。他的三分球为其他球员拉开了空间，虽然他们在季前赛中还没有一起打过球（据我回忆），但我们很难忘记他和文班在上赛季最后阶段的默契配合。即使有时糟糕的防守判断或错失篮板会让球迷抓狂，但我们还是很难不想要更多马穆的表现，考虑到他是一个能投篮的大前锋，他也可以和柯林斯和巴斯一起上场。
虽然马刺队可能没有最具天赋的球员阵容，但他们的确有 15 名球员可以上场，而且任何一名球员都可以随时被召唤，而不会让人觉得实力下降太多（当然，除非缺席的球员是文班）。可以说，唯一一个还在为上场时间而战、并且在季前赛中还没有打出名堂的年轻马刺球员是马拉奇·布拉汉姆(Malaki Branham)，但他在前两个赛季的表现已经足够出色，他仍然会得到机会。
我们很难不对季前赛反应过度，但如果一些出人意料的名字已经准备好在本赛季实现飞跃，那么这对他们进入季后赛的目标将和克里斯·保罗效应一样重要，从长远来看，这才是真正重要的。
点击查看原文：Three Spurs who have impressed in the preseason so far
Three Spurs who have impressed in the preseason so far
The super deep Spurs look even deeper in the preseason. That can only be a good thing going forward.
The old saying goes that you should never overreact to the NBA preseason. It was true before and still is today, but that doesn’t make it any easier. So far, the San Antonio Spurs have shown promise on their way to a 2-1 preseason record in no small part thanks to the role players stepping up and taking advantage of extra playing time. Three players who will be fighting either for playing time or an increased role have especially stood out, so let’s take a look at them while trying not to overreact.
Stephon Castle already looks better than advertised
It was reported well before the draft that the Spurs were very high on Castle, and they got their man with the 4th overall pick this summer. He backed up some of the hype in limited Summer League action, but he has really come alive in the preseason. Not only does he look NBA-ready from a physical and mental standpoint, but his reported weaknesses have yet to show themselves.
It’s a small sample size — and again, the preseason — but so far he’s shooting 42.9% from three after shooting 26.7% at UConn and 25% in Summer League. He’s also averaging 3.3 assists, 2 rebounds and a steal while using his strength and speed to get downhill towards the basket, either drawing free throws or showing off his court vision to find an open player. He has also taken over in the fourth quarters of their two wins (albeit mostly against third-string and fringe NBA players).
About the only criticism so far is he’s averaging 3 turnovers per game, although six of his nine TO’s came in one game against the Thunder. He may not be quite ready to play his preferred position of point guard since his handles still need to be tightened, and there may still be a reality check in store against more serious NBA competition than the preseason brings, but if Castle is already exceeding expectations this early, that’s just another reason to be (perhaps too) optimistic going forward.
Julian Champagnie is playing like a starter
When it was announced that Devin Vassell would miss at least the first five games of the regular season while recovering from offseason foot surgery, there were discussions as to who should replace him in the starting lineup. While voters here at PtR overwhelmingly said Castle, Gregg Popovich has chosen familiarity and shooting in the first three preseason games, going with Champagnie. So far, he has more than delivered.
Champagnie was already one of the Spurs’ best returning outside shooters form last season, and so far he has been their most steadying presence from outside in the preseason, hitting 13-27 from three in three games while averaging a team-high 16.8 points per game. While it would be unreasonable to expect him to maintain such numbers, it does beg the question: should he remain a starter beyond just as an injury replacement for Vassell? This is not to say he should replace Vassell full-time, but rather slide over to his more natural position of small forward once Vassell returns.
This would of course push veteran acquisition Harrison Barnes to the bench (and no, I do not expect Pop to bench Jeremy Sochan). Barnes has been less than impressive in the preseason, but then again comes another reminder not to overreact as veterans with nothing to prove rarely turn it on for the preseason. Regardless, Barnes is a consummate pro and would probably take any role he is given in stride, so it will be interesting to see what happens. If he doesn’t turn things around to start the regular season, Champagnie has certainly made a case for himself as a starter if Pop sees a need for a change or wants to go younger.
Mamu has to get playing time this season — right?
Finally, we get to one of the Spurs’ more compelling players. Not only is Sandro Mamukelashvili a fan favorite, but in the rare instances he has been given a chance to play rotation minutes for the Spurs over the last two seasons, he has shined. This preseason has been no different. With Victor Wembanyama and Zach Collins each missing two games so far and Charles Bassey yet to suit up (which may change tomorrow), Mamu has gotten his share of minutes as the lone big off the bench.
While his defensive deficiencies are well documented, it’s hard to ignore how much contagious energy he brings on both ends of the court and how much fun he makes the game look. His three-point shooting opens the floor for other players, and while they haven’t played together in the preseason (that I re-call), it’s hard to forget how well he and Wemby meshed in the closing stretch of last season. Even if a bad defensive read or missed rebound drives fans crazy at times, it’s hard not to want more of Mamu, and considering he is a power forward who can shoot, he can also play with both Collins and Bassey.
While the Spurs may not have the most talented roster, they truly are 15 players deep, and any individual player could be called upon if someone misses without expecting too much of a drop off (except if the player who misses time is Wemby, of course). Arguably the only young Spur who is fighting for playing time and has not made a name for himself in the preseason yet is Malaki Branham, but he’s shown enough in his first two seasons that he will still get his chance.
It’s hard not to overreact to the preseason, but if some unexpected names are ready take a leap this season, then that will be just as helpful towards their stated goal of making the postseason as the Chris Paul Effect will be, and in the long term, that is what is truly important.
By Marilyn Dubinski, via Pounding The Rock