By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-11-12 10:40:55
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11月11日，星期一，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥市的弗罗斯特银行中心，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)（24号）在马刺队对阵萨克拉门托国王队的主场比赛前与队友维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)（1号）在场上热身。
德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)表示，他欣然接受球队让他打替补的计划，马刺队代理主教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)称这将是“可预见的未来”的安排。
在周一晚上以116-96战胜萨克拉门托国王队的比赛中，瓦塞尔在21分钟内得到12分。此前在周六输给犹他爵士队的比赛中，他复出后在22分钟内得到21分。此前，由于脚伤，他缺席了上赛季的最后八场比赛和本赛季的前九场比赛。
“他的上场时间会相当谨慎，”约翰逊在周一的比赛前说。“他已经很久没打比赛了。”
瓦塞尔在长时间的休战后，上场时间受到限制。
“只要我们能赢球，我并不在意是否首发，”他说。
这位五年级后卫上赛季场均得到职业生涯最高的19.5分，在出战的68场比赛中首发了62场，得分仅次于文班亚马，位列全队第二。
“我相信他渴望（上场更多时间），但我们必须谨慎，”约翰逊说。
在对阵爵士队的比赛中，瓦塞尔13投8中，其中三分球6投3中。而在对阵国王队的比赛中，他9投3中，三分球5投3中。他还送出了4次助攻。
瓦塞尔在第三节表现出色，连续命中两记三分，结束了球队在该节后半段长达3分半钟的得分荒。在他投中第二记三分后，他还造成了犯规并罚进一球，帮助马刺队在第三节还剩2分38秒时以82-67领先。
“他对我们的球队太重要了，”克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)说。“他给我们的球队带来了信心，是一个额外的武器，额外的威胁。难以置信的是，他看起来一点也不生疏。”
哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)说：“德文一直都很棒……随着他找到节奏，找到状态，打更多的比赛，赶上其他人的步伐，他会变得越来越好。”
这应该不会花太长时间。
“感谢队医，但我感觉很好，”瓦塞尔说。“过去几周，我一直感觉很好。”
他迫不及待地想看到马刺队最终人员齐整。他们在没有特雷·琼斯(Tre Jones)（脚踝）、杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)（拇指）和马拉基·布拉纳姆(Malaki Branham)（脚踝）的情况下分别打了连续第10场、第4场和第2场比赛。
在这三人中，索汉在上周接受手术后预计将缺席最长时间。新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)顶替索汉进入首发阵容。朱利安·尚帕尼(Julian Champagnie)赛季初顶替瓦塞尔的首发位置。
“我觉得只要我们保持健康，我们就是一支令人胆寒的球队，”瓦塞尔说。
布朗对波波维奇的情况表示乐观
在约翰逊说格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)“情况良好”的四天后，国王队主教练迈克·布朗(Mike Brown)在被问及他的前任老板时也表达了积极的看法。
“听起来他会没事的，”布朗说。
周一的比赛是这位75岁的名人堂教练自11月2日对阵明尼苏达森林狼队的比赛前几个小时突发不明健康问题以来连续缺席的第六场比赛。
当被问及他和其他前马刺队助理教练是否与波波维奇交谈过时，布朗说：“这显然是一个难以处理的情况。我相信每个人都以某种方式与他保持着联系。”
巴恩斯很享受与“熟悉的面孔”竞争
巴恩斯在他对阵老东家的第一场比赛中得到10分、5个篮板和2次助攻。
这位征战NBA 12年的老将在过去六个赛季效力于国王队，直到今年7月马刺队通过与萨克拉门托和芝加哥的三方交易得到他。
“这是一次很棒的经历，”巴恩斯谈到面对老东家时说。“很显然，（我）在那个更衣室里待了很长时间，有很多美好的回忆，有很多亲密的关系。所以，能够上场与熟悉的面孔竞争感觉很好。”
赛前，布朗称赞了巴恩斯在萨克拉门托的“稳定性”。在过去的两个赛季中，他都参加了全部82场常规赛。
“你可以肯定他每天都会在那里，无论是投篮训练、常规训练还是比赛、球队会议，都无所谓，”布朗说。“他的举止始终如一，从不大喜大悲。在82场以上的比赛中保持这种稳定性在这个行业中很难得。
“所以，当你拥有像‘HB’这样既专业又能完成场上任务的球员时，这是非常宝贵的。我认为你们得到了一位优秀的球员，尤其是在帮助这支球队的所有年轻球员方面。”
Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) knocks the ball away from San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) who was driving to the basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.
Sacramento Kings forward Doug McDermott (7) and forward Trey Lyles (41) double-team San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during the second half at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Kings, 116-96.
Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan, second from left, knocks the ball away from San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) who was driving to the basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) warms up on the court with teammate Victor Wembanyama (1) before the Spurs’ home game against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas.
点击查看原文：Vassell on board with reserve role
Vassell on board with reserve role
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) warms up on the court with teammate Victor Wembanyama (1) before the Spurs’ home game against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas.
Devin Vassell said he is on board with the plan to bring him off the bench for what acting Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson termed the “foreseeable future.”
Vassell scored 12 points in 21 minutes in Monday night’s 116-96 win over Sacramento after producing 21 in 22 minutes in a loss against Utah on Saturday that marked his return from a foot injury that forced him to miss the last eight outings of last season and the first nine of this year.
“It will be pretty conservative on the ramp up,” Johnson said before Monday’s game. “It’s been a while for him.”
Vassell is on a minutes restriction coming off his long layoff.
“I am not tripping if I am starting or not, as long as we are winning,” he said.
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The fifth-year guard finished last season second on the team in scoring behind Victor Wembanyama with a career-best 19.5 average while starting 62 of the 68 games he played.
“I am sure he will be chomping at the bit (to play more), but we have to be mindful,” Johnson said.
After going 8 for 13, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, against the Jazz, Vassell was 3 for 9 and 3 for 5 against Sacramento. He also had four assists.
Vassell came up big in the third quarter, sinking consecutive 3s to end a 3½-minute scoreless drought late in the period. He put in a free throw after he was fouled shooting his second 3, giving the Spurs an 82-67 advantage with 2:38 left in the third.
“He’s so big for our team,” Chris Paul said. “Just the confidence he brings to our team, that added weapon, that added threat. It’s crazy to think he has no rust.”
Said Harrison Barnes, “Devin has been great. … And he can only continue to get better as he finds his rhythm, finds his legs, gets more games under his belt and catches up with everyone else.”
It shouldn’t take long.
“Credit to the doc, but I feel good,” Vassell said. “For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been feeling good.”
And he can’t wait until the Spurs finally get their full complement of players. They played their 10th game in a row without Tre Jones (ankle), their fourth in a row without Jeremy Sochan (thumb) and their second in a row without Malaki Branham (ankle).
Of those three, Sochan is expected to miss the most time after undergoing surgery last week. Rookie Stephon Castle has replaced Sochan in the starting lineup. Julian Champagnie began the season as the starter in Vassell’s spot.
“I feel like as soon as we are healthy, we are a scary team,” Vassell said.
Brown offers encouraging words about Popovich
Four days after Johnson said Gregg Popovich was “doing good,” Kings coach Mike Brown also sounded a positive note when asked about his former boss.
“It sounds like he is going to be OK,” Brown said.
Monday’s game marked the sixth in a row the 75-year-old Hall of Fame coach has missed since he suffered an undisclosed health issue a few hours before a game against Minnesota on Nov. 2.
Asked if he and other former Spurs assistants have talked to Popovich, Brown said, “It’s obviously a tough situation to deal with. I’m sure everybody is in touch with him one way or another.”
Barnes enjoyed competing against ‘familiar faces’
Barnes had 10 points, five rebounds and two assists in his first game against his former team.
The 12-year veteran spent the past six seasons with the Kings before the Spurs acquired him in July in a three-team trade with Sacramento and Chicago.
“It was a great experience,” Barnes said of facing his old team. "Obviously, (I was) in that locker room for a long time, a lot of good memories, a lot of close relationships. So, it’s good to go out there and compete against familiar faces.”
Before the game, Brown praised Barnes for the “consistency” he exhibited in Sacramento. He played in all 82 regular season games in each of the last two seasons.
“You knew for sure he was going to be there every day, whether it was shootaround, practice or a game, team meeting, it didn’t matter,” Brown said. "And his demeanor was going to be the same, never too high, never too low. That consistency over 82 plus is hard to find in this business.
“So, when you have such a professional like ‘HB’ who can still get it done on the court, it’s invaluable. I think you guys have got a good one, especially to help all the young guys on this team.”
Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) knocks the ball away from San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) who was driving to the basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.
Sacramento Kings forward Doug McDermott (7) and forward Trey Lyles (41) double-team San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during the second half at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Kings, 116-96.
Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan, second from left, knocks the ball away from San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) who was driving to the basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) warms up on the court with teammate Victor Wembanyama (1) before the Spurs’ home game against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News