By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-03-05 14:46:27
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3月4日星期二，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥市的霜冻银行中心，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)（5号）在马刺队以127-113战胜布鲁克林篮网队后，拥抱了他的队友后卫德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)（24号）。瓦塞尔得到职业生涯最高的37分，赛季最高的10个篮板，以及追平赛季最高的5次助攻。
周二，马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)走下了霜冻银行中心的球场，怀里抱着两件珍贵的物品。
左手抱着的是他NBA生涯之夜的比赛用球。右手抱着的是穿着便服的维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)，这位受伤的超级球星是第一个从替补席上跳起来，在终场哨声响起时帮助瓦塞尔庆祝的人。
在瓦塞尔以37分、11个篮板的杰作带领马刺队以127-113击败布鲁克林篮网队后，有很多值得庆祝的事情。
其中之一，就是他期待已久的自信回归。
“每当我开始投丢球时，我可能会钻牛角尖，”瓦塞尔说，“这只是比赛的本质，但我必须保持自信。”
周二，瓦塞尔的自信心爆棚，他扔向篮筐的每一个球似乎都能找到网底。
他20投14中，得到职业生涯最高的得分，并以11投8中的成绩投进8个三分球——也是职业生涯最佳。
瓦塞尔在第三节表现完美，所有六次投篮都命中，得到17分。其中五球来自三分线外。
“德文打了一场精彩的比赛，”中锋俾斯麦·比永博(Bismack Biyombo)说。“这是一场有趣的比赛。”
对于代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)来说，瓦塞尔在NBA的最佳夜晚最精彩的部分，不一定体现在得分栏中。
除了创造新的职业生涯得分纪录——比瓦塞尔上赛季在洛杉矶湖人队身上砍下的36分还多1分——这位五年级职业球员还创造了赛季最高的篮板和助攻（5次），并以4次抢断追平了职业生涯最佳。
简而言之，这位24岁的瓦塞尔周二无处不在，这推动了马刺队取得了自1月31日以144-118大胜密尔沃基雄鹿队以来最悬殊的胜利。
“最酷的事情是，回看比赛，看看他所做的所有影响胜利的事情，甚至没有出现在数据统计中，”约翰逊说。“有时当你做这些事情时，篮球会找到你，数据统计也会反映出来，这太神奇了。”
在约翰逊赞扬瓦塞尔表现的细微之处中，包括“他在进攻端的空间感，他在防守端的转移和站位，他在篮板和转换中的积极性”。
“然后他的天赋让一切都变得栩栩如生，”约翰逊说。
自从瓦塞尔从佛罗里达州立大学以2020年选秀第11顺位被选中以来，没有人质疑过瓦塞尔天赋的鲜艳程度。
然而，他在五个NBA赛季中的进步并非一帆风顺。事实上，过去的18个月就像坐过山车一样。
2023年10月，瓦塞尔签署了一份为期五年、价值1.46亿美元的续约合同，当时这使他成为马刺队收入最高的球员。在本赛季马刺队在2月份交易得到达龙·福克斯(De’Aaron Fox)之前，他一直保持着这一头衔。
瓦塞尔上赛季在68场比赛中场均得到职业生涯最高的19.5分，但在最后两周因脚部问题而停赛。这导致他在夏天接受了手术，进而推迟了瓦塞尔本赛季的热身。
从那以后，他一直在努力寻找自己的立足点，各项数据全面下滑：场均15.4分、2.8次助攻和5.3个篮板。
瓦塞尔一直小心翼翼，没有把因伤病缠身的夏天作为他本赛季起伏不定的借口。
“我的意思是，事情就是这样，”瓦塞尔说，“我认为每个人都会有自己的看法。我们拿到很多钱来这里打球，所以我只需要出来，每次踏上球场都要充满侵略性和自信。”
在对阵篮网队爆发之前，自2月份开始以来的14场比赛中，瓦塞尔86次三分球出手只命中了21个。
周二的比赛让人看到了瓦塞尔全力以赴且投篮手感火热时的状态。这似乎激发了他比赛的方方面面。
“这是一场心理游戏，”瓦塞尔说。“有些比赛我甚至拿不到六次投篮机会，而且不够积极。每场比赛都会有所不同，但只要保持积极，我认为这就是每个人都在寻找的。”
瓦塞尔是第一个承认他的自信心会随着每次投篮命中或投失而起伏的人。有些时候，他将面对的最艰难的对手是他自己内心的批评家。
“必须保持自信，这是最重要的事情，”瓦塞尔说。“这是我在联盟的第五年，我觉得我越有侵略性，不仅是为了得分，而且是为了创造机会，我们打得就越好。所以必须坚持下去。”
因此，瓦塞尔对阵篮网队的表现并没有提供救赎，但确实提供了一种慰藉。
到周二下半场，瓦塞尔的每一次投篮都是好球——即使不是。
他在第三节的爆发以在另一端拦截篮网队的传球结束，然后以一人快攻的方式冲向另一端，然后投出一个在大多数情况下都不明智的三分球。
考虑到瓦塞尔所处的状态，这一次的投篮是理所当然的。
“我肯定要投，”他说。
那球也进了，就像瓦塞尔在这一节投出的其他所有球一样。他进入第四节时已经准备好了30分，并在比赛还剩2分28秒时以一记三分跳投超越了他之前的职业生涯最高分。
随着比赛的胜利在握，唯一剩下的问题是瓦塞尔是否能在他职业生涯中首次达到40分。
瓦塞尔从那里又错失了两个三分球，然后结束了他的夜晚——甚至是他一生中最美好的夜晚。
“（球队）希望我得到那个分数，我个人也想得到，但我不会强求，”瓦塞尔说。“一旦我没有投进最后两个球，我的想法就是，‘没关系，只要我们赢得这场比赛，我就没事。’”
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) is all smiles during an interview following the Spurs’ 127-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Vassell had a career-high 37 points, a season-high 10 rebounds and a season-high-matching 5 assists.
San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama embraces his teammate Devin Vassell following the Spurs’ 127-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Vassell had a career-high 37 points, a season-high 10 rebounds and a season-high-matching 5 assists.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts to another three-pointer by his teammate Devin Vassell (24) during the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Nets, 127-113.
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) passes the ball out to San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Nets, 127-113.
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) reacts after making another third quarter three-pointer against the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Nets, 127-113.
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) dunks on Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (8) during the second quarter at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Vassell had a career-high 37 points in the Spurs 127-113 victory over the Nets.
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) dunks on Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (8) during the second quarter at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Vassell had a career-high 37 points in the Spurs 127-113 victory over the Nets.
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) takes a jump shot during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Nets, 127-113.
San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley (14), from left, guard Devin Vassell (24), guard Chris Paul (3), guard De’Aaron Fox (4) and other Spurs players hype themselves up before taking on the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Nets, 127-113.
点击查看原文：In scoring binge, the Spurs' Devin Vassell found relief
In scoring binge, the Spurs’ Devin Vassell found relief
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) embraces his teammate guard Devin Vassell (24) following the Spurs’ 127-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Vassell had a career-high 37 points, a season-high 10 rebounds and a season-high-matching 5 assists.
Spurs guard Devin Vassell walked off the court at the Frost Bank Center on Tuesday with a prized possession under each arm.
In the left, the game ball from the night of his life in the NBA. In the right, a street-clothed Victor Wembanyama, the injured superstar who was one of the first off the bench to help Vassell celebrate it at the final horn.
There was much for Vassell to toast after his 37-point, 11-rebound magnum opus lifted the Spurs to a 127-113 demolition of the Brooklyn Nets.
Somewhere on that list was the long-awaited return of his prodigal confidence.
“Whenever I start missing shots, I might get in my own head,” Vassell said. “That’s just the nature of the game, but I got to stay confident.”
Confidence was in sky high supply for Vassell on Tuesday, as everything he tossed toward the rim seemed to find the bottom of the net.
He made 14 of 20 shots on his way to a career scoring best, and made eight 3-pointers – another career best – in 11 tries.
Vassell was perfect in the third quarter, converting all six of his field goal attempts en route to 17 points. Five of those baskets came from 3-point range.
“Devin had an incredible game,” center Bismack Biyombo said. “It was a fun game to watch.”
For acting coach Mitch Johnson, the best part of Vassell’s best night in the NBA was not necessarily found in the points column.
In addition to producing a new career scoring high – one more than the 36 points Vassell dumped on the Los Angeles Lakers last season – the fifth-year pro also set season highs in rebounding and assists (five) and equaled a career best with four steals.
In a nutshell, the 24-year-old Vassell was all over the place Tuesday, and it propelled the Spurs to their most lopsided victory since a 144-118 demolition of Milwaukee on Jan. 31.
“The cool thing about it is, go rewatch the game and see all the things he did to impact winning that didn’t even touch the box score,” Johnson said. “It is amazing sometimes when you do those things, the basketball will find you and the box score will reflect it.”
Among those subtle things Johnson praised in Vassell’s performance were “his spacing offensively, his shifts and positioning defensively, his activity on the boards and in transition.”
“And then his talent brings everything to living color,” Johnson said.
Nobody has questioned the technicolor of Vassell’s talent since he arrived from Florida State as the 11th pick in the 2020 draft.
His progress over five NBA seasons, however, has not been linear. The past 18 months, in fact, have been something of a roller coaster.
In October 2023, Vassell signed a five-year, $146 million contract extension that, at the time, made him the Spurs’ highest-paid player. He retained that designation this season until the Spurs dealt for De’Aaron Fox in February.
Vassell averaged a career-best 19.5 points in 68 games last season before being shut down for the final two weeks with a foot issue. That led to surgery over the summer, which in turn set back Vassell’s ramp-up for this season.
He has struggled to find his footing ever since, with numbers down across the board: 15.4 points, 2.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Vassell has been careful not to use his injury hijacked summer as an excuse for his up-and-down season.
“I mean it is what it is,” Vassell said. “I think everybody’s going to have their opinions. We get paid a lot of money to come out here and play the game, and so I just got to come out here and be aggressive and be confident every time I step out on the court.”
Before his eruption against the Nets, Vassell had connected on only 21 of 86 3-point attempts in 14 games since the start of February.
Tuesday provided a glimpse of what Vassell can be when he is locked in and the shots are dropping. It seems to invigorate every facet of his game.
“It’s a mental game,” Vassell said. “There’s games where I can’t get six shots and not be aggressive. Every game is going to be different but just being aggressive, I think that’s what everybody’s looking for.”
Vassell is the first to admit his confidence can rise and fall with each made or missed shot. There are days when the toughest opponent he will face is the critic in his own mind.
“Got to stay confident, that’s the main thing,” Vassell said. “It’s my fifth year in the league and feel like the more aggressive I am, not even just to score, but just to make plays the better that we are playing. So just got to stay with it.”
As such, Vassell’s performance against the Nets did not provide redemption, per se, but it did provide a measure of relief.
By the second half Tuesday, every shot Vassell took was a good shot – even when it wasn’t.
He capped his third-quarter flurry by picking off a Nets pass at one end, scampering the other way on a one-man fast break then pulling up for a 3-pointer that would have been ill-advised under most circumstances.
It was a no-brainer this time, given the zone in which Vassell found himself.
“I had to for sure,” he said.
That one went down, same as every other shot Vassell hoisted in the quarter. He entered the fourth ready already with 30 points, and eclipsed his former career high on a 3-point jumper with 2:28 to play.
With the game in hand, the only remaining question was whether Vassell could reach 40 points for the first time in his career.
Vassell missed two more 3-pointers from there, then called it a night – the night of his life, even.
“(The team) wanted me to get that and I wanted to get it personally myself, but I wasn’t going to force it either,” Vassell said. “Once I didn’t make the last two, it was like, ‘It’s all right, as long as we win this game, I’m fine.’ "
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News