By MateoMayorga | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2024-12-15 16:00:00
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。
马刺有机会在主场再次战胜一支表现欠佳的球队。
在短暂而成功的波特兰之旅后，马刺回到主场，将连续进行三场比赛，首先是周日对阵森林狼。这将是两队本赛季的第二次交锋，第一次是在11月2日，当时圣安东尼奥取得了胜利。那晚克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)砍下15分和13次助攻，凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)替补出场高效地贡献了25分。
森林狼纸面实力强大，却是本赛季迄今为止最令人失望的球队之一。他们在过去的10场比赛中赢了5场，他们的最佳球员安东尼·爱德华兹(Anthony Edwards)场均得到23.7分，命中率41.7%，其中三分球命中率高达42.2%。自从休赛期卡尔-安东尼·唐斯(Karl-Anthony Towns)被交易到纽约，换来朱利叶斯·兰德尔(Julius Randle)和丹特·迪温琴佐(Donte DiVincenzo)后，这支球队的特质已经发生了改变。马刺有一个很好的机会提升他们的战绩，因为他们的对手还没有完全融合。
圣安东尼奥马刺 (13-12) vs. 明尼苏达森林狼 (13-11)
2024年12月15日，晚上6点（中部时间）
观看：FanDuel Sports Network Southwest | 收听：WOAI (1200 AM)
马刺伤病情况： 斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle) - 出战存疑（左肩挫伤），扎克·科林斯(Zach Collins) - 出战存疑（双侧腰背部挫伤），大卫·杜克二世(David Duke Jr.) - 缺席（发展联盟），哈里森·英格拉姆(Harrison Ingram) - 缺席（发展联盟），凯尔登·约翰逊 - 缺席（左小腿拉伤）。特雷·琼斯(Tre Jones) - 出战存疑（左肩扭伤），莱利·米尼克斯(Riley Minix) - 缺席（发展联盟）。
森林狼伤病情况： 杰伦·克拉克(Jaylen Clark) - 缺席（发展联盟），杰西·爱德华兹(Jesse Edwards) - 缺席（发展联盟），乔·英格尔斯(Joe Ingles) - 缺席（左比目肌拉伤），莱昂纳德·米勒(Leonard Miller) - 缺席（发展联盟），戴申·尼克斯(Daishen Nix) - 缺席（发展联盟）。
比赛看点
文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)如何应对不同的对位
马刺的首节问题可能会持续存在，因为森林狼开局强势，而马刺则步履蹒跚。预计文班亚马将受到兰德尔、鲁迪·戈贝尔(Rudy Gobert)和纳兹·里德(Naz Reid)这三位大个子的防守。他们会试图通过在持球和无球时对他进行身体对抗来压制他，但文班在三分线内的身高臂展对他们来说将是难以逾越的障碍。这将是保罗闪耀的夜晚，因为马刺需要他的球商来调动森林狼排名第五的防守，让他们放弃三分线。
利用森林狼的进攻
此外，森林狼是联盟中单打频率第六高的球队之一，他们喜欢针对特定的球员。爱德华兹会像之前通过挡拆那样，试图“猎杀”文班。在爱德华兹推进的过程中为他设置掩护点将需要高度关注细节，因为一步走错，他就会突破过去，形成五打一防四的局面。然而，当戈贝尔在场时，马刺更容易防守他们，因为他的队友对他薄弱的进攻能力缺乏信任。
除此之外，森林狼的进攻低于平均水平，而且很容易预测。如果马刺不过度协防三分线，他们将在比赛后期处于有利位置，最终取得胜利。此外，根据Cleaning the Glass的数据，森林狼86.9%的时间都在面对阵地防守，这对马刺也会有所帮助。
马刺在本场比赛中不被看好。ESPN Bet的赔率是森林狼-170，马刺+145。
点击查看原文：Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Spurs have an opportunity for another home win against an underwhelming team.
Following a brief successful trip to Portland, the Spurs return home for three straight matches, starting with Sunday’s against the Timberwolves. It will be the second matchup of the season between these outfits, with their first one being claimed by San Antonio on Nov. 2. That was the night Chris Paul racked up 15 points and 13 assists and Keldon Johnson added 25 efficient points off the bench.
The Timberwolves are a talented team on paper but one of the season’s biggest disappointments so far. They have won five of their last 10 games, and their best player, Anthony Edwards, is averaging 23.7 points on 41.7 percent shooting, including 42.2 percent from 3-point range in that span. The character of this team has not been the same after Karl-Anthony Towns was shipped to New York in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in the offseason. The Spurs have a nice opportunity to bolster their record against a team that hasn’t been united.
San Antonio Spurs (13-12) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (13-11)
Dec. 15, 2024, 6 PM CT
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southwest | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs injuries: Stephon Castle- Questionable (left shoulder contusion), Zach Collins-Doubtful (Bilateral low back contusion), David Duke Jr.- Out (G-League), Harrison Ingram- Out (G-League), Keldon Johnson- Out (left calf strain). Tre Jones- Questionable (left shoulder sprain), Riley Minix- Out (G-League).
Timberwolves injuries: Jaylen Clark- Out (G-League), Jesse Edwards- Out (G-League), Joe Ingles- Out (left soleus strain), Leonard Miller- Out (G-League), Daishen Nix- Out (G-League).
What to watch for
How Wembanyama handles different matchups
The Spurs’ first-quarter issues will likely continue because the Timberwolves open games strong while the Spurs are stumbling out of the gates. Expect Victor Wembanyama to be guarded by the three bigs, Randle, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid. They will try to suffocate him by playing him physically while on and off the ball but his length will be too much for them inside the arc. This will be a night for Paul to shine because the Spurs will need his IQ to manipulate Minnesota’s fifth-rated defense into giving up the 3-point line.
Taking advantage of Minnesota’s offense
Additionally, the Timberwolves are sixth in isolation frequency as one of the teams that likes to target players. Edwards is going to want to go big game hunting for Wemby as he has before via pick and roll. Setting pick up points for Edwards advancing up court will require high attention to detail because one misstep and he’ll blow by, creating a five-one-four. Yet, it will be easier for the Spurs to guard them while Gobert is active because his teammates lose trust in his weak offensive game.
On top of that, Minnesota has a below-average, predictable attack. If the Spurs don’t over-help off the three-point line, they will be in good position late to pull off the victory. Additionally, it will help the Spurs that Minnesota’s offense plays against a set defense for 86.9 percent of their time, per Cleaning the Glass.
The Spurs are not favored in this game. The ESPN Bet moneyline is -170 for Minnesota and +145 for San Antonio.
By MateoMayorga, via Pounding The Rock