By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-01-16 13:47:10
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15日星期三，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的冰霜银行中心，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)在上半场与圣安东尼奥马刺队中锋维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)击掌庆祝。
对于马刺队控球后卫特雷·琼斯(Tre Jones)来说，周三晚上对阵孟菲斯灰熊队比赛中最令人期待的部分出现在开球跳球时。
届时，身高7尺3寸的中锋文班亚马将与身高7尺4寸的灰熊队新秀扎克·伊迪(Zach Edey)正面对决，最终将不得不与一个和他身高相仿的人跳球。
“这将会很奇怪，”琼斯在赛前说道。“但我仍然看好文班。”
琼斯输掉了这场赌注。
文班亚马在试图赢得跳球时与伊迪纠缠在一起，并在比赛开始一秒钟后就被吹罚了可能是世界上最快的犯规。
“我以前从未见过这种情况，”马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔说道。
文班亚马命运多舛的开球跳球预示了他在马刺队在冰霜银行中心以129-115输给灰熊队的比赛中的糟糕表现。
至少在进攻端是这样。
这位NBA的盖帽王周三又增加了8次盖帽，所有这些都发生在上半场。其中三次是在篮筐下封盖了伊迪，尽管公平地说，这位前普渡大学的全美最佳球员在第一节确实在文班亚马头上完成了一记双手暴扣。
文班亚马还拿下了全场最高的12个篮板，在篮板上做得很好。
2025年1月15日星期三，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的冰霜银行中心，圣安东尼奥马刺队中锋维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)在上半场盖掉了孟菲斯灰熊队前锋圣地·阿尔达玛(Santi Aldama)的投篮。
然而，由于受到灰熊队顽强、强硬的防守的阻碍，这位马刺队的得分王19投仅5中，只得到13分。文班甚至需要在第四节投中两个三分球才能使自己的得分上双。
“我认为他们对他施加了更多的压力，”马刺队新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)说道，他以赛季最高的26分领跑全队。“他在进攻端是如此独特，以至于他每天都会遇到不同的防守策略。”
灰熊队完全习惯于让文班亚马感到不舒服。
孟菲斯灰熊队教练泰勒·詹金斯(Taylor Jenkins)轮换了一批大个子球员上场，从伊迪和贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson Jr.)开始，包括杰·霍夫(Jay Huff)和布兰登·克拉克(Brandon Clarke)。
无论文班亚马走到哪里，他都会看到一群人。或者更像是一群愤怒的暴徒。灰熊队将文班亚马在油漆区的出手次数限制在只有5次。他只命中了其中一球，在上半场完成了瓦塞尔的一次空中接力扣篮。
这不一定是伊迪的问题。这位NBA的9号秀上场时间不到17分钟，其中下半场只有5分21秒。
“我觉得是他们的身体对抗，给他制造了人群，”瓦塞尔说道。“他们在那里有很好的身高，所以即使他换防，他们也会形成人群。由于他们身后的身高臂长，他无法靠近篮筐。”
文班亚马在本赛季所有出手至少10次的比赛中，这场比赛的命中率最低。
这是他自2023年11月14日输给俄克拉荷马城雷霆队，15投4中以来的最差投篮表现。
文班亚马在周三的比赛后没有接受记者采访，他更愿意等到周五在冰霜银行中心与灰熊队的两场比赛结束后再接受采访。
他的队友们确信他们的球星已经为下一场比赛做好了准备。
“我觉得每次他感觉自己没有发挥出最佳水平的比赛之后，他（下次）总是会打出精彩的比赛，”得到21分的瓦塞尔说道。“我很期待看到他如何反弹。”
在上半场，文班亚马似乎不需要成为进攻力量就能带领马刺队爆冷获胜。
在前两节，他的防守似乎足以摧毁对手。
当文班亚马在上半场结束的哨声响起时拒绝了伊迪的扣篮尝试，以63-51的领先优势将马刺队送入更衣室时，他们庆祝的样子就像已经赢得了比赛。显然，这为时过早。
灰熊队在第三节赢了18分，以94-88的优势进入第四节，然后在最后5分20秒内以20-7的比分击败马刺队，将原本胶着的比赛变成了溃败。
“下半场，感觉我们有点陷入了他们的比赛风格，他们找到了节奏，而我们在苦苦追赶，”马刺队代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)说道。“当一支节奏如此快的球队开始投篮时，比赛就变得很艰难。”
虽然灰熊队最终找到了他们的节奏——由贾·莫兰特(Ja Morant)的21分和12次助攻领衔——但文班亚马似乎从未找到自己的节奏。
结果是这位法国天才球员年轻职业生涯中较为令人沮丧的进攻表现之一。
随着灰熊队周五回到冰霜银行中心，马刺队表示，寻找答案不是一个人的工作。
“我们必须让他更容易一些，”瓦塞尔说道。“有时候我们挡拆，他很早就下顺了。他可以得到一些机会让自己找到感觉。每次他都要面对已经落好位置的防守，这很艰难。所以我们必须想办法帮助他。”
马刺队对文班亚马的信念是：在圣安东尼奥，没有人比他更乐意立即再次挑战灰熊队。
“只要了解文班，我就知道这场比赛在他心中已经结束了，”卡斯尔说道。“他专注于周五的比赛。”
那场比赛将以与周三相同的方式开始，NBA最高的两位球员将在中圈跳球点针锋相对。
马刺队只能希望从那以后比赛会变得更好。
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) dunks on San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) in the second half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The baskett did not count due to a foul call being called on the Spurs prior to Morant’s shot. The Spurs fell to the Grizzles, 129-115.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) blocks a shot from Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II (45) in the second half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Grizzles, 129-115.
Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) goes up for a shot between San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) and center Victor Wembanyama (1) in the first half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Grizzles, 129-115.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) guards Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (7) in the first half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) blocks Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) at the net in the first half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) goes up for a shot around San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and forward Keldon Johnson (0) in the first half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Grizzles, 129-115.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) blocks a shot from Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) in the first half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots over San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) in the first half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) receives high-fives from center Victor Wembanyama (1) and guard Devin Vassell (24) as the starting line up is announced in the first half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.
点击查看原文：Spurs betting on Victor Wembanayama bounce-back vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Spurs betting on Victor Wembanayama bounce-back vs. Memphis Grizzlies
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) receives a high-five from San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) in the first half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.
For Spurs point guard Tre Jones, the most anticipated part of Wednesday night’s game against Memphis came at the opening tipoff.
That’s when 7-foot-3 center Victor Wembanyama was set to square off across from 7-4 Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey and finally be forced to jump with someone his own size.
“It’s going to be weird,” Jones said before the game. “I still got Vic though.”
Jones would have lost that bet.
Wembanyama got tangled with Edey trying to win the tap, and was called for the world’s quickest foul one second into the contest.
“I’ve never seen that before,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said.
Wembanyama’s ill-fated opening tip proved an apt omen for what became of his night in the Spurs’ 129-115 loss to the Grizzlies at the Frost Bank Center.
At least on the offensive end.
The NBA’s blocked-shot leader added eight more Wednesday, all of them coming in the first half. Three victimized Edey at the rim, though to be fair the former Purdue All-American did sneak a two-handed slam over Wembanyama in the first quarter.
Wembanyama added a game-high 12 rebounds, doing good work on the glass.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) blocks a shot by Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (7) in the first half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.
Stymied by the Grizzlies’ gritty, grindy defense, however, the Spurs’ leading scorer could only manage 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting. Wembanyama even needed a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers to push himself into double digits.
“I think they were kind of loading up on him a lot more,” said Spurs rookie Stephon Castle, who led the team with a season-high 26 points. “He’s so unique on offense that he is going to see different coverages every day.”
The Grizzlies were entirely too comfortable making Wembanyama uncomfortable.
Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins rotated a slew of big bodies into the game, beginning with Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr. and including Jay Huff and Brandon Clarke.
Everywhere Wembanyama went, he saw a crowd. Or more like an angry mob. The Grizzlies limited Wembanyama to only five shots in the paint. He made only one of them, finishing an alley-oop jam from Vassell in the first half.
It wasn’t necessarily an Edey issue. The NBA’s No. 9 overall draft pick logged less than 17 minutes, including 5:21 in the second half.
“I feel like it was them being physical, showing him a crowd,” Vassell said. “They’ve got good height over there, so even when he got the switch, they were showing a crowd. He couldn’t get to the basket because of the length that they had back there.”
Wembanyama finished with his lowest shooting percentage of any game this season in which he attempted at least 10 shots.
It was his worst shooting performance since going 4 of 15 in a loss to Oklahoma City on Nov. 14, 2023.
Wembanyama did not address reporters after Wednesday’s game, preferring to wait until the conclusion of a two-game set with the Grizzlies on Friday at the Frost Bank Center.
His teammates are certain their star will be ready for the rematch.
“I feel like every single time he has a game where he feels like he doesn’t play his best, he always comes out (next time) and has one of those games,” said Vassell, who scored 21 points. “I’m excited to see how he bounces back.”
For a half, it appeared as if Wembanyama need not be an offensive force to carry the Spurs to an upset victory.
Through two quarters, his defense seemed destructive enough to do the job.
When Wembanyama rejected Edey’s dunk attempt at the halftime horn, sending the Spurs into the locker room with a 63-51 lead, they celebrated as if they had already won the game. Clearly, that was premature.
Memphis won the third quarter by 18 points to take a 94-88 edge into the fourth quarter, then outscored the Spurs 20-7 over the final 5:20 to transform what had been a tight game into a blowout.
“The second half, it felt like we got into their style of play a little bit and they got into a rhythm, and we were playing catch-up,” Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. “It’s tough when a team that plays that fast starts making shots.”
While the Grizzlies eventually found their rhythm – led by Ja Morant’s 21 points and 12 assists – Wembanyama never seemed to catch his.
The result was one of the more frustrating offensive outings of the French phenom’s young career.
With Memphis back in the Frost Bank Center on Friday, the Spurs say the search for answers is not a one-man job.
“We’ve got to make it easier for him,” Vassell said. “There’s times where we get a screen and roll and he rolls early. He could get some looks a get himself going. It’s tough that he gets a defense that’s set and loaded every time. So we’ve got to figure out ways to help him out.”
The Spurs believe this much about Wembanyama: Nobody in San Antonio is happier to get another immediate crack at the Grizzlies as he is.
“Just knowing Vic, I know the game’s already over in his mind,” Castle said. “He’s focused on Friday.”
That game will begin the same way Wednesday’s did, with the NBA’s two tallest players going toe-to-toe and eye-to-eye in the center jump circle.
The Spurs can only hope the night goes better from there.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News