[SAEN] 热火主帅斯波尔斯特拉对马刺临时主教练米奇·约翰逊的工作印象深刻

By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-02-01 13:25:19

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。

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2025年1月31日星期五,在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥市的弗罗斯特银行中心,圣安东尼奥马刺队代理主教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)在下半场对阵密尔沃基雄鹿队的比赛中挑战一次犯规判罚。马刺以144-118击败雄鹿。

11月初,格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)轻微中风的惊人消息传出后不久,马刺队指定的顶替这位NBA历史胜场最多教练的助理教练就接到了联盟另一位顶级教练的电话。

那天,迈阿密热火主教练埃里克·斯波尔斯特拉(Erik Spoelstra)对米奇·约翰逊所说的话,在他开始这项令人羡慕的——或许只是暂时的——接替传奇人物的工作时,鼓舞了他的士气。

“我们都对此感到震惊,我们立刻想到了波波维奇,”斯波尔斯特拉说。“但另一个现实是,NBA不会停止,米奇已经为此做好了准备。我简短地和他谈了一下,只是跟他说,组织的稳定性和拥有一个了解他们如何运作的人在这样的时期很重要,这真的就像‘反复练习’一样。”

在那次谈话后的三个月里,约翰逊证明了自己完全胜任这项任务。

“这完全没有必要,但我非常感激他这么做了,”约翰逊谈到斯波尔斯特拉的电话时说。“他说的很简单,但却非常非常鼓舞人心。这对于我即将面临的局面提供了有益的见解。”

斯波尔斯特拉和约翰逊在周六晚上的场边相遇,这是两周内的第二次交锋。热火以21分的优势赢得了第一次交锋,但马刺在周五晚上以144-118的比分令人印象深刻地战胜了密尔沃基雄鹿,他们的战绩来到21胜24负,其中在约翰逊的带领下取得了19胜21负,这更加坚定了斯波尔斯特拉和其他教练同行的信念:马刺队掌握在38岁的西雅图人手中是安全的,他在波波维奇康复期间担任代理教练。

马刺队表示,他们预计76岁的波波维奇将完全康复,波波维奇在12月发布的一份声明中表示,他想重返教练岗位。

与此同时,约翰逊的工作赢得了积极的评价。

“他了解比赛,拥有出色的篮球头脑,并为这次机会做好了准备,每个人都看到了,”洛杉矶快船队的泰伦·卢(Ty Lue)说。“他把球队管理得很好,他是一位非常优秀的年轻教练。”

约翰逊受到其他教练的赞扬,不仅仅是因为马刺队在过去两个赛季都只赢了22场比赛之后,现在接近50%的胜率。他们也理解他处理了一长串的挑战,从顶替波波维奇开始,包括处理几起伤病,球队在洛杉矶的五天里经历的山火肆虐地区的不确定性和后勤问题,繁忙的巴黎之旅,以及执教仍在成长的核心球员维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)的责任。

“我不知道有没有比这更糟糕的教程了,”雄鹿队主教练道格·里弗斯(Doc Rivers)说。“波波维奇留下的位置,没有人想尝试去填补。它们太大了。然后你被扔进去,不知道你会被扔进去,没有准备,然后还有所有这些其他的事情,去巴黎,洛杉矶的大火,处理一个崭露头角的超级巨星。

“……这很不容易。而且是一支非常非常年轻的球队,除了克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)和其他几个人之外。这是一项艰巨的工作。”

在这一切中,约翰逊一直保持着冷静和稳定的存在,接受并重视每一次经历——无论是好的还是坏的。

“会有成长的烦恼,也会有很多里程碑和美好的经历,以及介于两者之间的一切,我认为我们不需要回避任何一个,也不需要逃避它们,”他说。“而且我认为我们不需要赋予某些事情超过它本身的力量。作为一个团队,我们在这方面做得非常好。”

这是老将马刺前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)欣赏的一种方法。

“这很有趣。我们已经过了一半多一点,我觉得这个赛季就像三年一样,发生了各种各样的事情,”巴恩斯说。“但让我印象最深刻的一件事就是米奇的声音,他是多么的沉着。无论是场上还是场外的事情影响到场上的事情,他都保持着钢铁般的专注。”

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2025年1月29日星期三,在圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心,圣安东尼奥马刺队代理主教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)在与洛杉矶快船队的NBA比赛下半场与裁判杰森·戈尔登伯格(Jason Goldenberg) (35号)争论判罚。快船以128-116击败马刺。

在周五战胜密尔沃基之前,马刺队在过去的10场比赛中输掉了8场,但巴恩斯说,他从未看到约翰逊有任何恐慌的迹象。

“他只是继续传递同样的信息,每天都做同样的工作,我认为球员们会对此做出回应,”巴恩斯说。

竞争对手也回应了巴恩斯的评论。

“在场边,他从不慌乱,”卢说。

当被问及他坚忍的举止从何而来时,约翰逊指出了他生活中不同的影响,包括他的父母,已故的前西雅图超音速队球星约翰·约翰逊(John Johnson)和前华盛顿大学网球运动员珍妮·雷德曼(Jenny Redman);波波维奇;以及其他几位教练。

“无论是我的父母还是我背景中的其他人,一些最好的谚语通常都包含这样的元素:永远不要像他们说的你那么好,也永远不要像他们说的你那么坏,”约翰逊说。“在一个漫长的NBA赛季里,有太多的情绪,太多的情况……如果你试图驾驭这种情绪的过山车,你将无法坚持或生存下去。”

约翰逊说,在过去六个赛季担任波波维奇的助理教练期间,他也学到了很多宝贵的经验。

“马刺队和波波维奇教练,是人格化的典范,是品格,是正直,是过程,是不跳过步骤,”约翰逊说。“波波维奇教练改变了我的人生,因为他让我能够在他手下学习,从远处和近处观察他,并达到我们能够以各种方式互相挑战的地步。我很幸运能够在他手下成长,并让他赋予我的声音力量。”

然后是斯波尔斯特拉,约翰逊在过去两年里在拉斯维加斯的休赛期认识了他,在那里他们和卢以及冈萨加大学教练马克·菲尔(Mark Few)一起与美国队教练史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)合作,为2024年巴黎夏季奥运会做准备。

“他是一个非常有效的沟通者,”54岁的斯波尔斯特拉谈到约翰逊时说。“在教练会议上,他有很多很棒的想法。我当时对他印象深刻,现在也对他印象深刻。”

约翰逊说,他从与斯波尔斯特拉的共事中学到了很多东西,斯波尔斯特拉是NBA执教时间第二长的教练,仅次于波波维奇,并且赢得了两次NBA总冠军,包括2013年在一场令人难忘的与马刺的七场系列赛中。

“任何时候,当一个那样级别的人与你分享一些东西时,你可能不知道它具体什么时候适用,或者你是否会用到它,但我认为所有这些东西都有帮助,”约翰逊说。“而且我很幸运,显然在这里有波波维奇,有(马刺助理教练)布雷特·布朗(Brett Brown),有(前马刺助理教练)奇普·英格兰(Chip England),身边有一些执教很久的教练。

“现在我正在联盟中建立一些关系,而与像‘斯波’这样标准的人建立关系,它帮助我思考某些事情,或者有时它帮助我确认一些我已经在思考的事情。”

无论如何,他都以令人印象深刻的方式赢得了他的教练声誉。

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San Antonio Spurs interim head coach Mitch Johnson gestures to point guard Chris Paul during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Dallas. Dallas won 110-93. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

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San Antonio Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson, right, speaks with Spurs guard Tre Jones (33) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

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Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in San Francisco.

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Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers talks to NBA referee Intae Hwang during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Bucks 144-118.

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San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson, left, talks with guard Chris Paul (3) during the second half of a Paris Games 2025 NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers in Paris, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

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PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 25: Acting head coach Mitch Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs huddles with his team during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers at The Accor Arena on January 25, 2025 in Paris, France.

点击查看原文:Heat's Eric Spoelstra impressed with Spurs' Mitch Johnson's work

Heat’s Eric Spoelstra impressed with Spurs’ Mitch Johnson’s work

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San Antonio Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson challenges a foul call in the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Frost Bank Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Bucks 144-118.

Not long after the stunning news broke in early November that Gregg Popovich had suffered a mild stroke, the assistant tabbed by the Spurs to fill in for the NBA’s all-time winningest coach heard from another top coach in the league.

What Miami’s Erik Spoelstra said to Mitch Johnson that day helped boost his spirits as he began the unenviable job of replacing – if perhaps only temporarily – a legend.

“We were all just shocked by it and our thoughts immediately went to Pop,” Spoelstra said. “But the other reality is, the NBA doesn’t stop, and Mitch is prepared for this. I talked to him briefly and just mentioned to him that that organizational stability and having somebody that knows how they operate is important in these times, and it really just becomes wax on, wax off.”

In the three months since that conversation, Johnson has proved to be more than up to the task.

“It was totally unnecessary, but I was very grateful he did it,” Johnson said of Spoelstra’s call. “What he said was simple but very, very encouraging. It was helpful insight about what I was walking into.”

Spoelstra and Johnson faced each other on the sideline Saturday night for the second time in two weeks. The Heat won the first meeting by 21 points, but the Spurs were coming off an impressive 144-118 victory over Milwaukee on Friday night that left them with a 21-24 record, including 19-21 under Johnson, which reinforced the belief by Spoelstra and others in the coaching fraternity that the Spurs are in good hands with the 38-year-old Seattle native serving as their acting coach while Popovich goes through rehab.

The Spurs have said they expect Popovich, 76, to make a full recovery and he indicated in a statement issued in December he wants to return to coaching.

Meanwhile, Johnson’s work has earned positive reviews.

“He understands the game and has a great basketball mind and was ready for this opportunity and everyone sees it,” the Los Angeles Clippers’ Ty Lue said. “He’s done a great job with his team and he’s a really good young coach.”

The praise Johnson is receiving from other coaches doesn’t just stem from the Spurs’ near .500 record after they won just 22 games in each of the last two seasons. They also understand he has dealt with a long list of challenges, beginning with stepping in for Popovich and including dealing with several injuries, the uncertainty and logistical issues experienced during the team’s five days in Los Angeles while wildfires ravaged the area, the busy trip to Paris, and the responsibilities that come with coaching a still-developing linchpin player in Victor Wembanyama.

“I don’t know if you can have a better tutorial in the worst way,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. "The shoes Pop has, no one wants to try to fill those. They’re just too big. And then you get thrown into it, not knowing you’re going to get thrown into it, with no preparation, and then having all this other stuff, going to Paris, the L.A. fires, dealing with a budding superstar.

“…That’s a lot. And a very, very young team, other than CP (Chris Paul) and a couple other guys. That’s a hard job.”

Throughout it all, Johnson has been a calm, steady presence, accepting and valuing every experience - good or bad - as they come.

“There will be growing pains, there will be hopefully many milestones and good experiences and everything in between, and I don’t think we need to shy away from any of them or avoid them,” he said. “And I don’t think we need to give more power into something than it is. As a group, we’ve done a really good job of that.”

It’s an approach veteran Spurs forward Harrison Barnes admires.

“It’s funny. We’re a little bit past the halfway point, and I feel like this season’s been like three years with all the different things that have gone on,” Barnes said. “But one of the biggest things I’ve been impressed with when it comes to Mitch is just his voice, how even-keeled he is. Whether it’s on-the-court stuff or off-the-court stuff affecting on-the-court stuff, he’s just had that steel focus.”

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San Antonio Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson argues for a call with official Jason Goldenberg (35) during the second half of their NBA game with the Los Angeles Clippers at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025 in San Antonio. The Clippers beat the Spurs 128-116.

Before Friday’s win over Milwaukee, the Spurs had lost eight of their last 10 games, but Barnes said he never saw any signs of Johnson panicking.

“He’s just continuing to drive from the same message, put in the same work every single day, and I think guys respond to that,” Barnes said.

Competitors echoed Barnes’ comments.

“On the sidelines, he never gets rattled,” Lue said.

Asked where his stoic demeanor comes from, Johnson pointed to different influences in his life, including his parents, the late former Seattle SuperSonics star John Johnson and former University of Washington tennis player Jenny Redman; Popovich; and several other coaches.

“Whether it’s my parents or others in my background, some of the best sayings typically have that element involved of never as good as they say you are and never as bad as they say you are,” Johnson said. “There’s so many emotions in a long NBA season, so many circumstances…you won’t be able to sustain or survive if you try to ride that emotional roller coaster.”

Johnson said he also learned plenty of valuable lessons while serving as one of Popovich’s assistants the last six seasons.

“The Spurs organization and coach Pop, it’s class personified, the character, the integrity, the process, not skipping steps,” Johnson said. “Coach Pop has changed my life in terms of just being able to learn under him, watch him from afar and closely, and get to the point where we could challenge each other in ways. I’ve been blessed to be able to grow under him and have my voice be empowered by him.”

Then there’s Spoelstra, who Johnson got to know the last two years during offseasons in Las Vegas, where they joined Lue and Gonzaga coach Mark Few to work with Team USA coach Steve Kerr in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

“He is a very effective communicator,” Spoelstra, 54, said of Johnson. “In the coaches meetings, he had a lot of great ideas. I was impressed with him then and I’m impressed with him now.”

Johnson said he learned a lot from his time with Spoelstra, the NBA’s second-longest tenured coach behind Popovich and the winner of two NBA titles, including in 2013 in a memorable seven-game series with the Spurs.

“Anytime you have someone of that ilk share something with you, you may not know when exactly it will be applicable or if you’ll use it, but I think all that stuff helps,” Johnson said. "And I’ve been lucky enough, obviously here with Pop, with (Spurs assistant) Brett Brown, with (former Spurs assistant) Chip England, to be around some coaches that have been doing this for a very long time.

“Now I’m building some relations around the league, and to have one with the standards of someone like ‘Spo,’ it helps me think about certain things or sometimes it helps me confirm something that I may have already been thinking.”

Whatever the case may be, he’s earning his coaching stripes in impressive fashion.

By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News