By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-01-07 12:22:43
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。
2025年1月6日，星期一，在芝加哥举行的NBA篮球比赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫克里斯·保罗（左）带球突破，芝加哥公牛队后卫科比·怀特（右）防守。(美联社照片/Nam Y. Huh)
密尔沃基——在芝加哥进行的周一比赛的第二节中段，马刺最终输掉了这场比赛。控球后卫克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)跳投出手，这在他辉煌的职业生涯中已经做过大约10000次了。
随着一声清脆的入网声，保罗兑现了他的承诺。
自圣诞节以来，保罗在得分方面一直表现得异常低调，他誓言要更加积极地将球送入篮筐。
“我们谈到要积极主动，”保罗说。“我认为我之前只是习惯于为其他人创造机会，而不是寻找自己的投篮机会。所以这是一种（不同的）心态。”
对于在联合中心球馆的马刺来说，这是一个灾难性的夜晚，但保罗却是一个亮点。他得到18分，这是自万圣节之夜在犹他州砍下19分以来得分最高的一场比赛。
在芝加哥的最后七分钟里，他是唯一一个投篮命中的马刺球员。公牛队抹平了19分的落后，最终以114-110的比分险胜。
在第四节连续三次进攻中，保罗连续命中三个球，其中包括一个三分球，一度凭借一己之力扛起了马刺队。
“我们希望保罗保持侵略性，我认为他在大多数情况下都做到了，”马刺代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)说。“他是一个非常优秀的射手。他的整个职业生涯都是如此。”
随着马刺队周三在密尔沃基继续客场之旅，保罗将继续在得分和组织进攻之间寻求平衡。
周一的比赛是自12月25日在纽约输球得到13分以来，他首次得分上双。
在周六主场输给丹佛的比赛中，他9投1中，只得到2分。
赛后，保罗誓言要找到一种方法，更多地把球送入篮筐。
“无论如何，他都会对自己很苛刻，因为他是个传奇人物，”前锋朱利安·尚帕尼(Julian Champagnie)谈到保罗时说。“我们很欣赏他。即使他没有得分，也很难找到一个每晚能送出八九次助攻的球员。”
事实上，马刺队在休赛期签下这位39岁、12次入选全明星的球员，并不是为了让他每晚都能得分上双。
马刺队希望通过引进保罗，获得一位经验丰富的球员，他可以向队中其他年轻球员展示正确的比赛方式和赢球方式。
这与俄克拉荷马雷霆队在2019-20赛季引进当时34岁的保罗效力一个赛季的原因相同。事实证明，这是年轻的雷霆队走向成熟的关键时刻。
“他对球队和更衣室的脉搏把握得很好，”芝加哥公牛队教练比利·多诺万(Billy Donovan)说，他当时在俄克拉荷马雷霆队执教。“他可以激励并将团队凝聚在一起。对于任何球员来说，如果你注意并听取他的意见，你都能学到很多东西。”
多诺万说，当他观看马刺队的比赛时，他能感受到克里斯·保罗的影响力。
“关于他的第一件事是他热爱，热爱，热爱篮球这项运动，”多诺万说。“他一直在努力提高和进步，即使在他这个年纪也是如此。他可能意识到在身体方面他不能做更多的事情了，但他真的很注重精神层面。”
不可否认的是，篮球仍然是一项身体对抗激烈的运动。
在他职业生涯的第20个赛季，保罗参加并首发了马刺队的全部36场比赛。他和马刺队都避免将最近的投篮低迷归咎于疲劳。
约翰逊称赞保罗和32岁的老将哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)保持良好的身体状态，以承受NBA赛季每晚的严酷考验。
“他和巴恩斯是我们所期望或渴望的，最专业的球员。” 约翰逊说。“无论他们需要做什么，他们都不会为此牺牲任何东西。当我看到他今年的出勤率时，我想到的就是——所有为之付出的准备。”
虽然保罗的得分数据起起伏伏——他场均得到9.4分，与他上赛季在金州勇士队的表现一致——但正如预期的那样，他一直是一个稳定的传球手。
保罗场均8.4次助攻将是自1995-96赛季以来马刺球员的第二高。在此期间，只有德章泰·穆雷(Dejounte Murray)的场均助攻数更高，他在2021-22赛季的全明星赛季场均贡献9.2次助攻。
“他给这支球队带来的远不止得分，”尚帕尼说。“无论他得20分还是0分，他的影响力绝对是显而易见的。”
现在对保罗来说，诀窍在于找到一种方法，每晚都能产生正确的影响。
他仍然是一个组织者。他仍然是一个场上指挥官。马刺队希望确保他也不会忘记自己也是一个得分手。
“你希望保罗做他一直在做的事情，”约翰逊说。“其中一部分就是保持侵略性和投篮。”
在芝加哥第四节一分钟的精彩表现中，保罗兑现了诺言，找到了他的手感。
如果保罗能如愿以偿，那么还会有更多的得分进账。
“幸运的是，我已经做了足够长时间的这件事，所以我知道自己在做什么，”保罗说。
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 06: Chris Paul #3 and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs look on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on January 06, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 06: Chris Paul #3 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles up the court against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on January 06, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 06: Chris Paul #3 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates a three pointer against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on January 06, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) throws an overhead pass during the first half of their NBA game with the Denver Nuggets at the Frost Bank Center on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 in San Antonio. Denver beat the Spurs 122-111 in overtime.
点击查看原文：San Antonio Spurs' Chris Paul, points are part of the job
San Antonio Spurs’ Chris Paul, points are part of the job
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul, left, drives as Chicago Bulls guard Coby White, right, guards during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
MILWAUKEE – Midway through the second quarter of a game that would eventually get away from the Spurs on Monday in Chicago, point guard Chris Paul rose for a short jumper, the likes of which he has taken approximately 10,000 times throughout his storied career.
With a swish, this was Paul making good on a promise.
Having been conspicuously quiet in the scoring department since Christmas Day, Paul vowed to become more active at putting the ball in the basket.
“We talked about coming out and being aggressive,” Paul said. “I think I just got into a routine of finding everybody else instead of looking for my shot. So it is a (different) mindset.”
Paul was a bright spot in an otherwise disastrous evening for the Spurs at the United Center, putting up 18 points for his highest-scoring game since going for 19 in a Halloween night win at Utah.
He was the only Spurs player to record a field goal over the final seven minutes in Chicago, as the Bulls erased a 19-point deficit to sneak away with a 114-110 victory at the finish line.
In a three-possession stretch of the fourth quarter, Paul made three consecutive baskets – including a 3-pointer – to briefly put the Spurs on his back.
“We want Chris to be aggressive, and I think he has been for the most part,” Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. “He’s a really good shooter. He has been his whole career.”
Paul will continue to seek a balance between scoring and facilitating as the Spurs’ road trip resumes Wednesday at Milwaukee.
Monday marked his first double-digit scoring game since posting 13 points in a Dec. 25 loss at New York.
He was coming off a two-point performance in a home loss against Denver on Saturday in which he went 1-of-9 from the field.
Afterward, Paul made a vow to find a way to put the ball in the bucket a bit more.
“He’s going to be hard on himself regardless, because he’s a legend,” forward Julian Champagnie said of Paul. “We appreciate him. Even if he’s not scoring the basketball, it’s hard to find a guy getting eight or nine assists a night.”
Indeed, the Spurs did not sign the 39-year-old, 12-time All-Star over the offseason with the notion of getting an every-night double-digit scorer.
What the Spurs hoped to gain by adding Paul was an experienced player who could show the rest of their young roster the right way to play and the right way to win.
This was the same reason the Oklahoma City Thunder brought in a then-34-year-old Paul for one season in 2019-20. It proved a pivotal moment in the maturation of a young OKC squad.
“He’s got a great pulse of the team and in the locker room,” said Chicago coach Billy Donovan, who was in Oklahoma City at the time. “He can galvanize and bring a group together. For any player, if you pay attention and listen to him, you can learn a lot.”
Donovan said he can feel the Chris Paul effect taking hold when he watches the Spurs.
“The first thing about him is he loves, loves, loves the game of basketball,” Donovan said. “He is always trying to improve and get better, even at the age he’s at. He probably realizes there’s not a lot more physically he’ll be able to do, but he really leans into the mental part.”
There is no getting around the fact that basketball remains a physical game.
In his 20th season, Paul has played in and started each of the Spurs’ 36 games. Both he and the Spurs eschew the notion that fatigue could be behind his recent shooting slump.
Johnson praised Paul and 32-year-old veteran Harrison Barnes for keeping their bodies in shape to withstand the nightly rigors of the NBA season.
“He and Harrison have been as professional in anything we could have wanted or desired,” Johnson said. “Whatever they need to do, they do not sacrifice that for anything. When I see his availability this year, that’s what I think about – all the preparation that went into it.”
Though Paul’s scoring numbers have ebbed and flowed – he is averaging 9.4 points, in line with what he produced for Golden State last season – he, as expected, has been a consistent passer.
Paul’s 8.4 assists per game would be the second-most for a Spurs player since 1995-96. Only Dejounte Murray averaged more in that span, contributing 9.2 per game during his All-Star season of 2021-22.
“He’s brought a lot more than scoring to this team,” Champagnie said. “Whether he’s scoring 20 or scores zero, his impact is definitely felt.”
The trick for Paul now is to figure out a way to make the right impact on a night-to-night basis.
He is still a facilitator. He is still a floor general. The Spurs want to make sure he does not forget to be a scorer, too.
“You want Chris to do what he’s always done,” Johnson said. “Part of that is being aggressive and shooting.”
Making good on promise, Paul found his stroke during a scintillating one-minute stretch of the fourth quarter in Chicago.
If Paul has his way, there will be more buckets where those came from.
“Luckily I’ve been doing this long enough to sort of know what I’m doing,” Paul said.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News