By Jacob Douglas | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2025-02-25 00:24:38
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。
是时候全力摆烂了。
肯尼·罗杰斯(Kenny Rodgers)对人生有很多精辟的见解。 有时候，你得知道什么时候该坚持，什么时候该放弃。 现在是圣安东尼奥马刺队把牌扔回给庄家的时候了。 他们手里的牌赢不了这场比赛的大奖。
在卡洛·马特科维奇(Karlo Matkovic)的几次扣篮之间，我想，我们为什么要这么做？ 马刺队以 114-96 输给新奥尔良鹈鹕队的比赛在上半场出现了一些高光时刻，但在下半场却出现了一些非常糟糕的时刻。 在他们手感冰凉之后，他们没有足够的深度、投篮能力或体型来与身体对抗更强的鹈鹕队竞争。 当迪昂特·福克斯(De’Aaron Fox)错失受干扰的中距离跳投时，我想——是时候认输了。
连续第三个赛季摆烂很糟糕，但这是度过 2024-25 赛季混乱局面最好的方法。 对于圣安东尼奥来说，这是糟糕的一年，包括这座城市最受欢迎的篮球人物出现了两次严重的健康问题。 我知道现在才二月，但过去的两场比赛感觉就像本赛季的最后一章。 现在是完全接受为乐透抽签而战的时候了。
这意味着让福克斯早点接受手指手术。 首先，应该优先考虑福克斯与马刺队高层之间的关系，但如果他愿意，他可能应该被禁赛。 圣安东尼奥应该把球放在年轻球员的手中，让他们顺其自然。 也许斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)会作为主要发起者有所进步，或者德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)会重拾一些得分信心。 这总比原地打转、一无所获要好。
无论如何，本赛季的最后三分之一将会令人沮丧。 但也许你会得到像鹈鹕队比赛上半场那样的时刻，当时马刺队跑轰战术打得风生水起，像朱利安·尚帕尼(Julian Champagnie)这样的年轻球员手感火热，并展现出成为一名可靠射手的潜力。 这不会很漂亮，但至少它会朝着一个目标前进。
要点：
- 尚帕尼是马刺队的得分王，他在上半场百发百中。 他得到 18 分，11 投 6 中三分球。 他的投篮本赛季一直起伏不定，但当他状态良好时，他会为球队增添很多色彩。 他有身材、运动能力和防守能力。 如果他能找到进攻的稳定性，他将成为球队的长期成员。
- 比斯马克·比永博(Bismack Biyombo)作为首发中锋的第三场比赛中，得到 10 分、10 个篮板和 4 个盖帽的两双数据。 比永博很好地填补了实际首发大个子的空缺（是的，我承认他被马特科维奇打爆了）。 我认为像比永博这样的大个子非常适合马刺队的长期替补中锋位置。 比永博已经过了巅峰期，不适合这个角色，但一个具有运动能力的、擅长冲击篮筐的大个子，有着强劲的动力，将会是 文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama)不在场时的一个受欢迎的补充。
- 凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)最近打出了本赛季最好的一些表现。 他在突破上篮和投中空位三分球方面都非常积极。 他在周日的替补席上增加了 18 分。 他肯定是一位在本赛季最后三分之一有收获的球员。
- 瓦塞尔最近的跳投表现不佳。 赛后，米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)表示他需要“不要太在意”。 翻译——他钻牛角尖了。 这是有道理的。 在过去的两个赛季里，他的角色发生了很大的变化。 他投不进球，很容易灰心丧气。 也许约翰逊的评论会让瓦塞尔冷静下来，好好打球。 我们以前见过他摆脱低迷。 他可能只需要一场精彩的比赛就能做到。
点击查看原文：What we learned from the Spurs loss to the Pelicans
What we learned from the Spurs loss to the Pelicans
It’s time to commit to the tank.
Kenny Rodgers got a lot right about life. Sometimes, you gotta know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em. The time for the San Antonio Spurs to toss their cards back to the dealer is now. The hand they’ve been dealt isn’t winning them the big pot this game.
Somewhere between Karlo Matkovic’s dunks, I thought, why are we doing this? The Spurs’ 114-96 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans featured some high-highs in the first half and some very low-lows in the second. After they went ice cold, they didn’t have the depth, shooting, or size to compete with the more physical Pels. As De’Aaron Fox missed contested mid-range jumpers I thought – it’s time to throw in the towel.
Tanking for the third straight season sucks, but it’s the best way through the mess that is the 2024-25 season. It’s been a horrible year for San Antonio that has included two serious health issues to the city’s most beloved basketball figures. I know it’s only February, but the last two games feel like the final chapter of this season. It’s time to fully embrace playing for lottery ping pong balls.
That means letting Fox get that finger surgery early. First and foremost, the relationship between Fox and the Spurs’ brass should be prioritized, but if he’s open to it, he should probably be shut down. San Antonio should put the ball in their youngsters’ hands and let the cards fall where they may. Maybe Stephon Castle will improve as a primary initiator, or Devin Vassell will regain some scoring confidence. It’s better than spinning your wheels and still going nowhere.
The last third of the season will be frustrating, no matter what. But maybe you get moments like the first half of the Pelicans game when the Spurs are running and gunning, and a young guy like Julian Champagnie gets hot and shows promise as a knockdown shooter. It won’t be pretty, but at least it will be moving toward a goal.
Takeaways:
- The Spurs were led in scoring by Champagnie, who could not miss in the first half. He had 18 points, converting on 6 of 11 three-pointers. His shooting has been up and down this season, but when he’s on, he adds a lot to the team. He’s got size, athleticism, and defensive aptitude. If he could just find offensive consistency, he’d be a long-term piece.
- In just his third game as the starting center, Bismack Biyombo logged a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Biyombo has filled in well as the de-facto starting big (yes, I acknowledge he got cooked by Matkovic). I think a big like Biyombo would be a good fit for the Spurs’ long-term backup center position. Biyombo is too past his prime to fit the role, but an athletic rim-running big with a high motor would be a welcomed addition to the non-Wemby minutes.
- Keldon Johnson has been playing some of his best ball of the season lately. He’s being aggressive in getting to the basket and knocking down open threes. He added 18 points off the bench on Sunday. He’s certainly a player with something to gain in the last third of the season.
- Vassell has struggled with his jumper recently. After the game, Mitch Johnson said he needs to “not care so much.” Translation – he’s in his head. It makes sense. His role has changed a lot in the last two seasons. He’s not making shots and it’s easy to get down on yourself. Perhaps Johnson’s comments will get Vassell to calm down a bit and just hoop. We’ve seen him jump out of slumps before. One good game is all he may need to do it.
By Jacob Douglas, via Pounding The Rock