By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-12-17 14:50:26
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 12 月 15 日星期日，在圣安东尼奥举行的一场 NBA 篮球比赛的上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋杰里米·索汉（左）传球，明尼苏达森林狼队后卫安东尼·爱德华兹 (5) 和中锋朱利叶斯·兰德尔 (30) 看着他。(美联社照片/Billy Calzada)
在波特兰，关于这位马刺前锋喜欢用针扎对手，惹恼他们的说法，简直就是板上钉钉的事。
“球探报告里写着，他是那种类型的球员，”开拓者队主教练昌西·比卢普斯(Chauncey Billups)说道。“他是一个煽动者，而且他非常擅长此道。”
周二训练结束后，索汉得知了这一消息，露出了一个缺牙的笑容，这笑容以前只有在绿色染发剂买二送一时才会出现。
“我不是故意想当个混蛋，”索汉说。“我只是做我自己。”
最近，对手们比他们预想的更早地领教到了索汉的“本色”。
这位 21 岁的球员因左手拇指骨折缺席了 13 场比赛，复出后大部分时间都是替补出场。在过去的兩场比赛中，索汉重新回到了马刺队的首发阵容。
在可预见的未来，他似乎很可能保住这个位置。
“我认为他一直都有一个半永久性的首发位置，”代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)说道。“只是我们有很多球员进进出出，我们必须处理这个问题。”
11 月 4 日输给洛杉矶快船队的比赛中，索汉拇指受伤，当时他正处于职业生涯最佳赛季的初期。
自获准复出以来，他延续了之前的出色表现。
在过去两场作为首发的比赛中——客场战胜波特兰和主场输给明尼苏达——索汉一共得到 32 分、10 个篮板和 4 次抢断。
“每次你从伤病中恢复过来，最初的几场比赛总需要调整，”索汉说。“但我正在逐渐适应。我想我已经做到了。”
由于 NBA 严格规定场上只能有五名球员，索汉重新回到首发阵容意味着其他人必须移到替补席。
这个人就是新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)，他在索汉缺阵时进入了首发阵容，并在那里待了 17 场比赛。
周日对阵森林狼的比赛中，卡斯尔自 11 月 4 日以来首次替补出场——并非巧合的是，那天晚上索汉在洛杉矶受伤。
索汉拿下两双，得到 17 分和赛季最高的 15 个篮板，而卡斯尔对角色转变的适应则显得有些吃力。
卡斯尔自己也曾因肩伤缺席了一场比赛，本场比赛他出场 23 分钟，8 投 1 中，还有 3 次失误。卡斯尔得到的两分是他自 10 月 30 日输给俄克拉荷马城的比赛中一分未得以来的最低得分。
“我觉得我打得有点胆怯，不敢对抗，”卡斯尔承认他偏袒自己疼痛的左肩。“我经历的对抗越多，我就越能适应再次承受这些碰撞。”
马刺队的教练组正在努力拼凑未来的轮换阵容，索汉和卡斯尔很可能会留在不同的阵容中。
两名球员的三分球都不稳定，索汉的三分命中率为 19%，卡斯尔的命中率为 27.4%。当他们同时在场时，进攻空间就会变得很棘手。
目前看来，索汉将留在首发阵容，而卡斯尔将替补出场。
在适应替补角色方面，卡斯尔在马刺队阵容中不乏榜样。除了索汉，后卫德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)是另一个在伤愈复出后担任替补的潜在首发球员。
“如果你看看，每个人都在这样做，对吧？”老将前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)说道。“德文去年是球队的第二得分点，但由于伤病，他现在替补出场。这正体现了我们团队的成熟之处，每个人都欣然接受了自己的角色。”
无论在什么情况下，索汉都表现得很高效。
“杰里米打球充满了活力，”约翰逊说。“在健康的情况下，他一直都保持着这种状态。”
至于波特兰的球探报告？并非所有开拓者球员都听从了比卢普斯赛前的警告。
波特兰后卫安芬尼·西蒙斯(Anfernee Simons)在第四节开始时状态火热，但索汉的“纠缠”让他在最后 8 分 54 秒只得到 4 分，马刺队客场 118-116 险胜。
“我只是充满活力地打球，”索汉重复着教练对他的评价。“我觉得安芬尼有点恼火，有点消失了。这就是我，也是我需要为这支球队做到的。”
如果其他球队想把索汉是个混蛋写下来，他会把它当作荣誉勋章来佩戴。
“这很酷，”索汉笑容满面地说。“但这不重要。每场比赛我都会做我自己。”
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nickeil Alexander-Walker, center, lays up the ball as San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and forward Jeremy Sochan, right, defend during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Billy Calzada)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, right, shoots a layup as San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, left, defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Billy Calzada)
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) goes for a layup as San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) falls during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Billy Calzada)
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) steals the ball from Minnesota Timberwolves guard Julius Randle (30) as Sochan’s teammates, center Charles Bassey (28) and guard Stephon Castle, second from right, run to assist during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Billy Calzada)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 15: Jeremy Sochan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs tries to drive on Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at Frost Bank Center on December 15, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 15: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives past Jeremy Sochan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first half at Frost Bank Center on December 15, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 15: Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dunks over Jeremy Sochan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first half at Frost Bank Center on December 15, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
点击查看原文：San Antonio Spurs' Sochan back to pestering opponents as a starter
San Antonio Spurs’ Sochan back to pestering opponents as a starter
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, left, passes the ball off as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) and center Julius Randle (30) look on during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Billy Calzada)
In Portland, word of the Spurs forward’s penchant for needling opponents into annoyance is literally written in black and white.
“It’s in his scout that he’s one of those type of guys,” Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “He’s an agitator, and he’s really good at it.”
Apprised of this information after practice Tuesday, Sochan smiled a gap-toothed grin previously reserved for a 2-for-1 sale on green hair dye.
“It’s not like I’m trying to be a (bleep) head,” Sochan said. “I’m just me.”
Lately opponents have become privy to an earlier dose of Sochan being Sochan than they might otherwise prefer.
Having mostly come off the bench during his return from a 13-game absence with a broken left thumb, the 21-year-old Sochan has reclaimed a spot in the Spurs’ starting lineup for the past two games.
It is a job he seems apt to keep for the foreseeable future.
“I think he’s always had a semi-permanent (starting) spot,” acting coach Mitch Johnson said. “We’ve just had a lot of guys in and out, and we’ve had to deal with that.”
Sochan was in the early throes of the best season of his career when he injured his thumb in a Nov. 4 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers.
He has picked up where he left off since being cleared for a return.
In the past two games as a starter – a victory at Portland and a defeat at home against Minnesota – Sochan has totaled 32 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.
“Every time you come back from injury, those first few games it’s always going to be an adjustment,” Sochan said. “But I’m getting there. I think I’ve got it.”
Due to the NBA’s strict rule that only five players can play at once, Sochan’s reinsertion into the starting lineup means someone else had to move to the bench.
That someone is rookie Stephon Castle, who entered the first five when Sochan went out and stayed there for 17 games.
Sunday against the Timberwolves, Castle came off the bench for the first time since Nov. 4 – not coincidentally the night Sochan was injured in L.A.
While Sochan posted a double-double with 17 points and a season-high 15 rebounds, Castle’s adjustment to a shifting role was a bit more ragged.
Coming off a shoulder injury of his own that cost him one game, Castle logged 23 minutes and went 1-for-8 with three turnovers. The two points Castle scored were his fewest since going scoreless in a loss at Oklahoma City on Oct. 30.
“I feel like I was playing kind of timid to not get hit,” said Castle, who admitted he favored his sore left shoulder. “The more reps I go through, the more comfortable I will get taking those bumps again.”
As the Spurs’ coaching staff looks to put the rotation puzzle together moving forward, it is likely Sochan and Castle will remain on separate units.
Neither player boasts a reliable 3-point shot, with Sochan hitting 19% from range and Castle converting 27.4%. That makes offensive spacing tricky when both are on the floor together.
For now, that appears to leave Sochan in the starting lineup and Castle coming off the bench.
When it comes to adjusting to a move to the second unit, Castle has no shortage of role models on the Spurs’ roster. In addition to Sochan, guard Devin Vassell is another would-be starter slotted for bench duty while coming off an injury.
“If you look at it, everyone’s doing it right?” veteran forward Harrison Barnes said. “Devin was the No. 2 option last year and because of injury he’s coming off the bench. It just speaks to the maturity of our group that everyone has just embraced their role.”
Sochan has been productive no matter the circumstances.
“Jeremy plays with tremendous energy,” Johnson said. “He’s been doing that consistently when healthy.”
As for that scouting report in Portland? Not all the Trail Blazers heeded Billups’ pregame warnings.
After Portland guard Anfernee Simons got hot to start the fourth quarter, Sochan pestered him into a four-point performance over the final 8:54 as the Spurs stole a 118-116 road victory.
“It was just playing with energy,” Sochan said, repeating his own coach’s scouting report on him. “I feel like Anfernee got kind of annoyed and kind of disappeared for a little bit. That’s what I am and what I need to be for this team.”
And if other teams want to put in writing that Sochan is kind of a (bleep)head, he will wear that like a badge of honor.
“That’s pretty cool,” a beaming Sochan said. “But it doesn’t matter. I’m going to be me every game.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News