By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-12-22 12:56:36
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。
德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥市 - 12月21日：圣安东尼奥马刺队的1号球员维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)等待着球的传球，而波特兰开拓者队的00号球员斯科特·亨德森则在2024年12月21日于圣安东尼奥市弗罗斯特银行中心举行的比赛下半场拍照留念。
费城——本赛季曾有一段时间，关于维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)的投篮选择有很多疑问。
一个身高7尺3寸的球员为什么要投这么多三分球？为什么他不更多地在低位进攻？为什么马刺队的教练不坚持让他在内线而不是外线活动？
但最近这种说法已经减少了，尤其是在文班亚马在周六以114-94战胜波特兰的比赛中8投4中之后，他的职业生涯三分球命中总数达到了201个。这位20岁的本土天才球员仅用了93场比赛就达到了200个三分球的里程碑，比NBA职业生涯三分球命中总数榜单上的前三名——斯蒂芬·库里、詹姆斯·哈登和雷·阿伦——更快。
在周四战胜亚特兰大的加时赛中，文班亚马三分球12投7中，命中率高达58%。而在对阵开拓者队的比赛中，他又投出了50%的三分命中率。本赛季至今，文班亚马场均出手9.1次三分，命中率为34.9%，而赛季前九场比赛他的三分命中率仅为22.6%。
上赛季，他场均出手5.5次三分，命中率为32.5%。
“每个球员都知道，有些时候你就是投不进球，无论是在训练还是比赛中，”文班亚马说。“有些时候就是感觉不对。随着时间的推移，这种情况发生的越来越少了。”
文班亚马作为一名神射手的稳步提升证明了他在训练中付出的努力。这也突显了教练组对他的判断力的信任。
“我正在体验着前所未有的自由度，”文班亚马说。“对我来说，这也是如何变得更好以及如何达到顶级水平的最清晰的道路。”
即使他在外线变得越来越致命，文班亚马也证明了当他选择攻击篮筐时，他可以多么有效。在对阵开拓者队的比赛中，他11罚10中，而在对阵老鹰队的比赛中，他12罚9中，并在当晚创造了个人职业生涯罚球次数的新高。
“他更有力量了，”马刺队代理主教练米奇·约翰逊在谈到文班亚马在过去四场比赛中有三场罚球次数上双时说道。“当他接到球时，他更有耐心了，尤其是当他没有被传统的五号位大个子防守时。他做得很好，就是面框，看看什么时候他有一对一（对位）的机会或者空间来继续突破最初的接触。”
“一旦他这样做了，因为他如此之长，加上他的步幅和步伐，很难不发生意外的或者说比意外更多的身体接触。”
2024年12月21日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA篮球比赛上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队中锋维克托·文班亚马(1)正准备投篮，而波特兰开拓者队中锋德安德烈·艾顿(2)和前锋杰拉米·格兰特(9)则在一旁防守。(美联社照片/Kin Man Hui)
在科林斯作壁上观的情况下，巴塞发挥出色
自从扎克·科林斯因下背部受伤缺席两场比赛后从伤病名单中复出以来，周六是他的第二场比赛。这也是替补中锋连续第二场被列为健康球员但却没有上场。
到目前为止，很明显这是一个教练的决定。
“扎克（在训练中）一直做得很好，而且他可以上场，”约翰逊说。“他只是在努力训练。”
约翰逊再次选择了巴塞作为文班亚马的替补，并且得到了回报。尽管上半场经历了一些艰难的时刻，这位圣安东尼奥圣安东尼校友在仅仅18分钟内就得到了16分和12个篮板，这是他在五场比赛中的第二个两双。
替补中锋的位置将会有一段时间的不确定性。但就目前而言，24岁的巴塞似乎比27岁的科林斯更有优势。
“我认为他有机会，而且他抓住了机会，”文班亚马谈到身高6尺10寸的巴塞时说。
巴塞说：“我只是在做好我的工作，尽我所能帮助球队获胜。我的首要想法是在防守端帮助球队。我知道防守才能赢得比赛。进攻会随之而来，挡拆，做我该做的，我的手感，跑位等等。但防守始终是关键。上场，让自己动起来，抢篮板等等。”
约翰逊称赞巴塞充满活力地比赛。
“当他持续充满活力地做一些非常简单的事情时，他在攻防两端都很有影响力，”约翰逊说。“他今晚做得非常好。”
文班亚马谈论新的全明星赛赛制
文班亚马表示，他对NBA新的全明星赛赛制采取观望态度。
NBA上周宣布，24名球员将被分成三支八人队伍，而全明星周末早些时候的新秀挑战赛的获胜队伍将作为第四支队伍参加全明星锦标赛。将有两场半决赛，目标得分是40分，然后是决赛，目标得分也是40分。
“我们拭目以待，”去年参加了新秀挑战赛的文班亚马说道，他正在争取获得本赛季的全明星席位。“但我个人想知道如何让全明星赛重新充满竞争性。不过，当我踏上球场时，我肯定会充满竞争力。但是，是的，我不知道。但我认为没有什么比得上老式的东部（对）西部赛制。”
本报记者杰夫·麦克唐纳对本报道有贡献。
The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama drives past Portland’s Donovan Clingan during the second half of Saturday night’s game at the Frost Bank Center.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, left, attempts a shot against Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, right, and forward Toumani Camara (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Man Hui)
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) makes a three-point basket against Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, left, at the closing moments of the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Man Hui)
点击查看原文：Wembanyama reaches 3-point milestone in impressive fashion
Wembanyama reaches 3-point milestone in impressive fashion
SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 21: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs waits for the ball to be thrown in against Scott Henderson #00 of the Portland Trail Blazers as fans take time to get a photo in the second half at Frost Bank Center on December 21, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
PHILADELPHIA — There was a time this season when questions abounded regarding Victor Wembanyama’s shot selection.
What is a 7-foot-3 guy doing shooting so many 3s? Why doesn’t he post up more? Why don’t the Spurs coaches insist he operate in the paint and not the perimeter?
But such talk has diminished recently, especially after Wembanyama hit 4 of 8 from deep in Saturday’s 114-94 win over Portland to raise his career total for made 3s to 201. In just his 93rd game, the 20-year-old native wunderkind reached the 200 milestone faster than the top three on the NBA’s list for career 3s: Stephen Curry, James Harden and Ray Allen.
And after hitting 50% from distance against the Trail Blazers after nailing 58% (7 of 12) in Thursday’s overtime win over Atlanta, Wembanyama is shooting 34.9% for the season on 9.1 attempts per game after making just 22.6% through his first nine games.
Last season, he shot 32.5% from distance on 5.5 attempts per game.
“Every player knows there are some days you can’t make shots, whether it’s practice or a game,” Wembanyama said. “Some days it just doesn’t feel right. Those days happen less and less over the years.”
Wembanyama’s steady rise as a sharpshooter is testament to the hard work he puts in during practice. It also underscores the coaching staff’s belief in his judgment.
“I’m experiencing levels of freedom I’ve never really had the chance before to have,” Wembanyama said. “For me, it’s also the clearest path to how to get better and how to get to the top level.”
Even as he becomes deadlier from downtown, Wembanyama is also proving how effective he can be when choosing to attack the basket. He hit 10 of 11 from the free throw line against the Blazers after knocking down 9 of 12 against the Hawks on a night when he set a career high for trips to the foul line.
“He’s more forceful,” acting Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said of Wembanyama attempting double-digit free throws in three of the last four games. "He’s been a little bit more patient when he catches the ball, especially when he is not being guarded by the traditional five man with the size. He’s done a good job of just facing up and seeing when he has that one-on-one (matchup) or space to continue to push through that initial contact.
“And once he does that, because he’s so long with those steps and his strides, it’s hard to not have incidental or more than incidental contact, I should say.”
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) lines up a shot against Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) and forward Jerami Grant (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Man Hui)
Bassey delivers while Collins looks on from bench
Saturday marked the second game since Zach Collins came off the injured list after a lower back injury forced him to miss two games. It was also the second straight game in which the backup center was a healthy scratch.
By now, it is clear it’s a coaching decision.
“Zach’s been doing a really good job (in practice) and he’s available,” Johnson said. “He’s just working.”
Johnson once again went with Bassey as the backup to Wembanyama, and was mostly rewarded. Despite going through some rough patches in the first half, the San Antonio St. Anthony alumnus finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds in just 18 minutes for his second double-double in five games.
The reserve center job is going to be in flux for a while. But for now, it appears Bassey, 24, has the upper hand over Collins, 27.
“I think he’s had a chance and he’s taken it,” Wembanyama said of the 6-10 Bassey.
Said Bassey, “I’m just doing my job, doing what I can to help the team win. My first mindset is to help the team defensively. I know defense wins games. The offense is going to come, screen and roll, do what I do, my touch, moving around and stuff. But the defense is always the key. Going out there, get yourself going, get a rebound and stuff like that.”
Johnson praised Bassey for playing with great energy.
“He’s impactful on both ends when he does some very simple things consistently with energy,” Johnson said. “He did a really good job of that tonight.”
Wembanyama weighs in on new All-Star Game format
Wembanyama said he is taking a wait-and-see approach to the NBA’s new All-Star Game format.
The NBA announced last week that 24 players will be drafted into three teams of eight, and the Rising Stars winning team from earlier in All-Star Weekend will remain to compete as the fourth team in an All-Star tournament. There will be two semifinal games to 40 points, and then a final to 40 points.
“We’ll see about it,” said Wembanyama, who played in the Rising Stars Game last year and is vying for an All-Star berth this season. “But personally I’m wondering how to put competitiveness back into the All-Star Game. When I step foot on that court, though, I’m going to be competitive for sure. But, yeah, I don’t know. But I don’t think nothing beats the old school East (vs.) West format.”
Staff writer Jeff McDonald contributed to this story.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News