By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-12-30 14:30:57
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29日，明尼苏达州明尼阿波利斯：在标靶中心球馆进行的第一节比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队的凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)0号正面对明尼苏达森林狼队的朱利叶斯·兰德尔(Julius Randle)30号冲击篮筐。
周日晚上在明尼苏达的比赛前，马刺队前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)正在享用赛前餐，这时他收到了一条短信。
原来，他可以多享受一个小时的晚餐时间。
在原定晚上7点在标靶中心球馆开始的比赛前约2个半小时，球员们被告知比赛将延迟到8点开始，以纠正比赛场地的一个问题。
这个消息并没有让巴恩斯感到震惊。
“在（上午的）投篮训练中，我们看到了发生的事情，”巴恩斯说。“油漆脱落了。这是我第一次在联盟里看到这种情况。”
标靶中心的工作人员通过更换场地来解决这个问题，这项艰巨的任务将比赛开始时间推迟了一个小时。
最终，一切都好，皆大欢喜。
“幸运的是，他们更换了场地，这没有造成任何问题，”巴恩斯说。
马刺队代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)表示，这次延迟并没有影响到比赛的准备工作，明尼苏达最终以112-110险胜。
“如果比赛提前开始，那真的会打乱球员的赛前餐、赛前小憩等等，”约翰逊说。“如果说有什么影响的话，这可能只是一种烦恼，因为（球员们）想在正常的比赛时间开始比赛。”
马刺队的替补内线回归
在马刺队四场客场之旅的前三场比赛中，约翰逊将轮换阵容缩减到九名球员，而在周日的比赛中，他又将轮换阵容扩大。
值得注意的是，这标志着替补内线查尔斯·巴塞(Charles Bassey)和扎克·科林斯(Zach Collins)的回归。
巴塞自12月23日输给费城的比赛后就没有上场，在对阵纽约和布鲁克林的比赛中均未出场。科林斯身上的锈迹更重。他自12月8日战胜新奥尔良后就没有上场。
“我们有很多球员没有上场，或者上场时间没有我们想要的那么多，在某种程度上，这只是一个数字游戏，”约翰逊说。“有时你会做出决定，在结果出来之前，你并不知道自己是对还是错。”
在新年前夜于弗罗斯特银行中心对阵洛杉矶快船队的比赛中，巴塞和科林斯都没有为更多的上场时间提供有力的理由。
巴塞在对阵明尼苏达的比赛中上场4分42秒，4分和2个篮板的数据效率低下。
科林斯上场7分钟，领到3次犯规，出现1次失误，没有其他数据进账。
约翰逊表示，他尤其为科林斯感到难过，考虑到他长时间的缺阵。
“当你拥有优秀的人，他们不仅为自己，也为身边的队友努力，有时这会对你不利，”约翰逊说。“仅仅因为你太想做好，反而会忽略你的直觉。”
布朗被解雇令巴恩斯不满
巴恩斯表示，他很失望地得知迈克·布朗(Mike Brown)上周被萨克拉门托国王队解雇的消息。
巴恩斯曾在布朗的执教下为国王队效力两个赛季。2022-2023赛季，布朗带领国王队打破了长达16个赛季的季后赛荒，并荣膺NBA年度最佳教练。
“迈克在改变萨克拉门托的文化方面发挥了重要作用，”巴恩斯说。“在这个行业里，有很多事情难以解释，即使有办法解释也解释不清。这是一个艰难的处境。”
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) works around San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, left, works around Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) works toward the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell, left, works toward the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
点击查看原文：Timberwolves court issue causes Spurs bizarre delay
Timberwolves court issue causes Spurs bizarre delay
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 29: Keldon Johnson #0 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket against Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter at Target Center on December 29, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Spurs forward Harrison Barnes was enjoying a pregame meal before Sunday night’s game in Minnesota when the text message came through.
It turns out, he had an extra hour to savor dinner.
About 2 ½ hours before a scheduled 7 p.m. tipoff at the Target Center, players were informed the game would be delayed until 8 p.m. to correct a problem with the playing surface.
The news did not come as a shock to Barnes.
“During (morning) shootaround we saw whatever was going on,” Barnes said. “The paint was coming off. It’s the first time I’ve seen that in the league.”
Target Center crews addressed the issue by swapping out the floor for a different one, a laborious task that pushed tipoff back by an hour.
In the end, it was all’s well that ends well.
“Luckily they got it changed and it was no issue,” Barnes said.
Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said the delay did not affect preparations for the game, which Minnesota eventually won in a nail-biter 112-110.
“If it was something earlier (that moved tipoff up), that could really upset a guy’s pregame meal or pregame nap or that sort of thing,” Johnson said. “If anything, this was probably just an annoyance because (players) wanted to play at the regular tipoff time.”
Spurs’ backup big men are back
After shortening his rotation to nine players for the first three games of the Spurs’ four-game road trip, Johnson stretched it out again Sunday.
Notably, it marked the return of backup big men Charles Bassey and Zach Collins from the mothballs.
Bassey had not played since a Dec. 23 loss at Philadelphia, taking DNPs against New York and Brooklyn. Collins had even more rust to loosen. He had not played since a Dec. 8 win over New Orleans.
“We have multiple guys who are not playing or not playing as much minutes as we want, and at some point it’s just a numbers game,” Johnson said. “Sometimes you make calls or decisions, and you don’t always know until the results tell you if you’re right or wrong.”
Neither Bassey nor Collins made a case for more playing time when the Spurs return home Tuesday to face the Los Angeles Clippers in a New Year’s Eve tilt at the Frost Bank Center.
Bassey logged four minutes and 42 seconds at Minnesota, and was largely ineffective with four points and a pair of rebounds.
Collins played seven minutes, picked up three fouls, committed one turnover and did not record another statistic.
Johnson said he felt for Collins especially, given the prolonged nature of his layoff.
“When you have good people that want to do well, not just for themselves but for the teammate next to him, sometimes that can work against you as a human,” Johnson said. “Just because you want it so bad you override your instincts.”
Brown’s firing displeases Barnes
Barnes said he was disappointed to learn of the dismissal of Mike Brown as head coach in Sacramento last week.
Barnes played for the Kings for two seasons under Brown. He was there in 2022-2023 when Brown won NBA Coach of the Year honors after the club broke a 16-season playoff drought.
“Mike was instrumental in changing the culture in Sacramento,” Barnes said. “In this business, there’s a lot of things that happen that are difficult to explain, if there even isa way to explain them. It’s one of those difficult situations.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News