By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-01-19 16:34:02
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。
佛罗里达州迈阿密 - 1月19日：圣安东尼奥马刺队的查尔斯·巴塞伊 (Charles Bassey) 28号在比赛第一节对阵迈阿密热火队时，于2025年1月19日在佛罗里达州迈阿密的卡塞亚中心做出反应。
迈阿密——就在马刺队即将在文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)的家乡开启赛季下半程的几天前，代理主教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)认为马刺队仍处于磨合阶段。
“我们是一支不断发展的球队，正努力保持更稳定的竞争力，我们已经在这方面展现了一些迹象，并且仍在努力做得更好，”约翰逊在周日的比赛前说道。“下半赛季的目标是在这方面有所提升，并找到一种方法来像联盟中那些更优秀的球队一样保持稳定。”
在赛季中段的第41场比赛中，马刺队看起来似乎很难实现这一目标。
新秀凯莱尔·沃尔(Kel’el Ware)得到25分，邓肯·罗宾逊(Duncan Robinson)得到21分，热火队克服了上半场13分的落后，在马刺队启程前往巴黎与印第安纳队进行两场比赛的几个小时前，以128-107击败了状态低迷的马刺队。
约翰逊表示，马刺队并没有因为期待巴黎之旅而分心。马刺队在遭遇三连败和近七场输掉六场后，战绩为19胜22负。
“这不是我们最好的状态，我们需要改进一些地方，我们也和一些非常优秀的球队交手，他们暴露了我们的一些问题，”约翰逊说。“我们很期待巴黎之旅，但我认为我们并没有轻视这支球队，或者（输给孟菲斯两次）。”
德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)得到全队最高的23分。文班亚马得到21分和10个篮板。
糟糕的防守是马刺队连败期间的通病。上周在圣安东尼奥，他们在输给孟菲斯的两场比赛中分别丢掉了129分和140分。
热火队凭借这场胜利终结了三连败，战绩提升至21胜20负。他们有六名球员得分上双，投篮命中率为52.6%，三分球命中率为54.5%（33投18中）。热火队还在内线得分上以60-42领先马刺队。
“我们在转换进攻中被打爆了，”瓦塞尔说。“我们在直线突破中被打爆了，迫使我们协防，导致他们像今天这样获得了空位三分机会。”
马刺队在第二节前三分钟建立了13分的领先优势后，半场结束时以41-46落后。热火队在第二节以26-11胜出，并在第三节以46-27的比分控制了比赛，46分也追平了本赛季圣安东尼奥的对手在单节比赛中的最高得分。波特兰队在12月13日也曾在第三节得到46分，但最终输掉了比赛。
这一次，马刺队没有上演逆转好戏。热火队在第三节24投17中，其中三分球10投8中，马刺队在第三节结束时落后24分。
“他们投进了很多球，”约翰逊说。“有很多回合，防守在半场阵地战中感觉还不错，但他们投进了一些球，我们在回合结束时出现了一些失误，这很令人沮丧，当你防守了17秒，然后沟通出现问题，有人空切篮下或者有人走神，失去了对细节的关注。”
约翰逊说，马刺队在第三节的进攻端也缺乏耐心。
“总的来说，这可能是我们最大的问题，我们试图快速得分来追回比分，”他说。“我认为这是我们需要改进的地方，我也需要改进，不能让这种情况继续发生。”
文班亚马在表现强劲的第一节之后，第二节却哑火了。
这位法国球星在首节5投4中（三分球3投2中）得到11分后，第二节6投0中，三分球3投0中，一分未得。在上半场最后1分38秒，他错失了两次罚球、一个空位三分和一次内线出手。
马刺队已经连续两个赛季只赢了22场，并且自2019年以来就没有进入过季后赛。五年的季后赛荒是球队历史上最长的一次，对于一个在蒂姆·邓肯时代五次夺得NBA总冠军的球队来说，这是一段痛苦的时期。
马刺队在本赛季上半程展现了顽强的韧性，克服了包括多名球员受伤在内的逆境；名人堂教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)在11月2日突发轻微中风（俱乐部说法）后，由他的助手之一接过了教鞭；以及在洛杉矶的山火肆虐期间，球队经历了一周的不确定性。
马刺队原定在洛杉矶进行的两场比赛中，有一场被NBA推迟，至今尚未重新安排。
“我们已经能够很好地随机应变，”马刺队替补控球后卫特雷·琼斯(Tre Jones)在赛前说道。“当我们有球员受伤时，其他人挺身而出。约翰逊教练为我们做了很多，整个教练组团结一致，确保他们继续为我们做好充分的准备，继续帮助我们学习和进步。
“我觉得我们现在比赛季初处在一个更好的位置。我们学到了很多，所以我认为这是一个不错的上半赛季，现在，希望我们能继续以此为基础。”
马刺队表示，波波维奇预计将完全康复，教练本人在上个月的一份声明中也暗示他打算重返教练席。
“他正在观看比赛，仍然像往常一样固执己见，并且像你想象的那样好胜，”约翰逊说。“所以，他一边表扬我，一边骂我。”
在周日的比赛之后，后者可能更多一些。
San Antonio Spurs forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) passes the ball as Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, left, and forward Nikola Jovic (5) defend during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler watches from the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
San Antonio Spurs center Charles Bassey (28) shoots as Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, left, shoots as San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with guard Chris Paul (3) and guard Devin Vassell (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) shoots as San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) goes to the basket past Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) and forward Duncan Robinson (55) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) shoots and is fouled by San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (24) shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots over Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, second from left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Duncan Robinson #55 of the Miami Heat drives against Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat drives against Harrison Barnes #40 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Kel’el Ware #7 of the Miami Heat dunks the ball against the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball against the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Duncan Robinson #55 of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball against Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Victor Wembanyama #1 and Chris Paul #3 of the San Antonio Spurs high five during the first quarter of the game against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on January 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Terry Rozier #2 of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball against the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
点击查看原文：Slumping Spurs blown out by Heat in final game before Paris trip
Slumping Spurs blown out by Heat in final game before Paris trip
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Charles Bassey #28 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts against the Miami Heat during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI – Acting head coach Mitch Johnson views the Spurs as a work in progress just days before they are set to begin the second half of the season on Victor Wembanyama’s native soil.
“We are an evolving team that’s trying to be competitive more consistently and we’ve shown some signs of that and are still fighting to be more consistent in that regard,” Johnson said before Sunday’s game. “The outlook for the second half is to grow in that area and to find a way to be more consistent as the better teams are in this league.”
In game No. 41 at the season’s midway point, the Spurs looked as if that goal could be difficult to reach.
Rookie Kel’el Ware scored 25 points and Duncan Robinson had 21 as the Heat overcame a 13-point first half deficit to defeat the slumping Spurs 128-107 hours before the team was set to depart for Paris for two games against Indiana.
Johnson said the Spurs, who are 19-22 after dropping three in a row and six of their last seven, weren’t guilty of looking ahead to Paris.
“This hasn’t been our best stretch of basketball and there are some things we need to shore up, and we’ve played some really good teams and they’ve exposed some things," Johnson said. "We’re looking forward to Paris, but I don’t think we overlooked this team or in (losing twice to) Memphis.”
Devin Vassell had 23 points to lead the Spurs. Wembanyama finished with 21 points to go along with 10 rebounds.
Poor defense has been the common thread during the Spurs’ losing streak. They gave up 129 and 140 points in losing twice to Memphis last week in San Antonio.
Miami, which snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 21-20, had six players scoring in double figures and shot 52.6% from the floor and 54.5% (18 for 33) from 3-point range. The Heat also outscored the Spurs 60-42 in the paint.
“We’ve been getting killed in transition,” Vassell said. “We’ve been getting killed off of straight line drives, causing us to help, causing them to have open threes like they did today.”
The Spurs trailed 46-41 at halftime after building their 13-point cushion in the first three minutes of the the second quarter. Miami, which won the second quarter 26-11, took control in the third, outscoring the Spurs, 46-27 to match the most points scored by a San Antonio opponent in any quarter this season. Portland also had 46 in the third on Dec. 13 only to lose.
This time, there was no rally for the Spurs, who trailed by 24 at the end of the third after the Heat connected on 17 of 24 shots from the field in the period, including 8 of 10 from 3-point range.
“They made a lot of shots,” Johnson said. “There was quite a few possessions that the defense actually felt pretty good in the half court at times, and they made some shots and we had some breakdowns at the end of the possessions, which is frustrating when you guard for 17 seconds and then communication breaks down, someone goes back door or someone falls asleep, loses attention to detail.”
Johnson said the Spurs also suffered from a lack of patience on the offensive end in the third.
“As a whole, that was probably our biggest issue in terms of trying to quick score our way back into the game,” he said. “And that’s something I think that we have to be better at and I have to be better at, not continuing to let that happen.”
Wembanyama followed a strong first period with a second quarter dud.
After scoring 11 points in the opening frame on 4 for 5 from the field (2 for 3 from 3-point range), the French star finished the second quarter scoreless on 0 for 6 and 0 for 3. In the final 1:38 of the first half, he missed a pair of free throws and open 3 and an inside look.
The Spurs have suffered through back-to-back 22-win seasons and haven’t been to the playoffs since 2019. The five-year postseason drought is the longest in franchise history, a painful period for a club with a storied history that includes five NBA titles during the Tim Duncan era.
The Spurs proved to be a resilient bunch in the season’s first half, overcoming adversity that included several injuries; the transition from Gregg Popovich to one of his assistants holding the reins after the Hall of Fame coach suffered what the club called a mild stroke on Nov. 2; and a week of uncertainty in Los Angeles while wildfires devastated the city.
One of the two games the Spurs were scheduled to play in LA was postponed by the NBA and has yet to be rescheduled.
“We’ve been able to adjust on the fly really well,” Spurs reserve point guard Tre Jones said before the game. "Guys have stepped up when we’ve had injuries. Coach Johnson has stepped up big time for us and the whole coaching staff has come together as a whole and made sure they continue to prepare us very well and continue to help us learn and move forward.
“I feel like we’re in a much better position now than we were at the start of the season. We’re learning a lot, so I think it’s been a good first half of the season and now, hopefully, will will keep building on that.”
The Spurs have said Popovich is expected to make a full recovery and the coach himself suggested in a statement last month that he intends to return to the bench.
“He is watching games, still opinionated as he’s ever been, and competitive as what you would think,” Johnson said. “So, giving praise and cussing me out all at the same time.”
There might have been plenty of the latter after Sunday’s performance.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News