By Jeje Gomez | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2025-03-10 11:46:05
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。
马刺在大部分时间里都与强大的对手展开了对抗，但始终未能找到实现逆转所需的额外动力。
没有人能指责马刺在以141-124输给森林狼的比赛中缺乏努力。他们只是遇到了一个更强大的对手，当圣安东尼奥限制他们的首选进攻方式时，森林狼总能找到得分机会，并利用他们的体型优势争抢进攻篮板，以及他们出色的外线投篮能力轻松赢得胜利。
对于马刺来说，比赛开局并不顺利，他们很快就出现了两次失误，并且在防守端也无法阻止对手。他们很快站稳脚跟，阻止了森林狼在第一节就拉开差距，但明尼苏达有太多的错位可以利用，而圣安东尼奥的防守毫无对策。第二阵容展示了唯一的抵抗方式：采取一种充满活力，有时甚至是鲁莽的防守风格，这需要他们放空一些对手，以限制主队的首选得分方式。这种方式起到了作用，森林狼继续命中投篮和制造机会，但他们失去了对比赛的绝对控制。考虑到早期的形势，第一节结束后仅落后8分对于这支银黑军团来说已经是一个非常棒的结果了。
第一节的混乱局面在第二节变得更加明显。这对马刺有利，他们似乎乐于不断轮换并在球场上飞奔，提前协防和迅速回位。 桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利和布莱克·韦斯利甚至获得了出场机会，这表明米奇·约翰逊愿意寻找其他方式来与主队对抗。斯蒂芬·卡斯尔和德阿隆·福克斯承担了进攻重任，每个人在防守端都充满紧迫感。缺乏防守体系的缺点是让森林狼获得了一些二次进攻得分和空位三分机会，但至少在当时，这种权衡是值得的。半场结束时，客队仍然只落后8分。
周日圣安东尼奥面临的最大问题是，他们可以通过努力保持竞争力，但始终无法打出一波攻势。明尼苏达在第三节开始时进攻表现更好，但在老将的带领下，银黑军团获得了足够的分数，以防止分差失控。当第二阵容上场时，这似乎是发起那期待已久的反击的绝佳时机，但不幸的是，尽管斯蒂芬·卡斯尔表现出色，但这并没有发生。在那之后，森林狼加强了防守，这使他们能够跑动并获得轻松得分的机会，而不是试图在半场阵地战中苦苦挣扎。正如整场比赛一样，马刺一直在战斗，但他们根本没有足够的火力来对一个更强大的对手构成真正的威胁。进入最后一节时，他们已经落后15分。
第四节没有太多的悬念。森林狼继续转移球，而马刺则疲于奔命，他们在进攻篮板和三分线外保持着优势。银黑军团的突然哑火让主队扩大了领先优势，并且考虑到周一背靠背的第二场比赛即将面对独行侠，约翰逊清空了他的替补席。一场英勇的努力最终以失败告终，因为天赋、运动能力和体型大多数时候都会战胜勇气。
比赛记录
- 森林狼以38次助攻追平了赛季最高纪录，并且距离追平他们单场命中三分球的赛季最高纪录只差一个。他们还有8名球员得分上双。马刺试图迫使他们依靠球的转移来击败自己，而明尼苏达成功做到了。
- 在重返萨克拉门托的比赛中表现不佳后，福克斯找回了外线手感，投进了四个三分球。另外只有哈里森·巴恩斯和德文·瓦塞尔投进了超过一个三分球。当你比对手少进10个三分球时，很难获胜。
- 克里斯·保罗在防守端越来越难以隐藏。马刺让他对位杰登·麦克丹尼尔斯，森林狼很乐意让麦克丹尼尔斯早早“开锅”。让他盯防射手而不是持球人意味着他经常要进行低位协防，并且必须帮助争抢篮板，而他根本做不到。保罗组织进攻并制造失误，但他的局限性很难掩盖，尤其是在双控卫阵容中。
- 俾斯麦·比永博和杰里米·索汉的表现都不错，考虑到森林狼的体型优势。问题在于，由于他们不能同时上场，比永博打得越多，索汉上场的时间就越少。没有简单的解决方案，因为巴锡类似于比永博，而马穆担任中锋则无法提供任何护框能力。阵容结构问题并没有让这位年轻的前锋（现在是替补中锋）的日子好过。
- 斯蒂芬·卡斯尔再次打出了一场精彩的比赛，得到20分、7个篮板和4次助攻，并表明他正在慢慢找到稳定性。外线投篮仍然是他最大的弱点（周日2投0中），但他可能需要一个休赛期来解决这个问题。
- 德文·瓦塞尔最近在防守端变得更加积极，这是一个非常棒的消息。他可能永远不会成为一个高于平均水平的单防球员，但卡斯尔和索汉应该是马刺未来的持球防守人，而瓦塞尔则应该在无球端发挥作用。可以说，本赛季剩余时间里最重要的是瓦塞尔继续表现得像一个攻防兼备的球员。
- 马刺的另一位年轻老将，凯尔登·约翰逊，也在给球迷带来乐观的理由。他看起来更加自信，并且继续无所畏惧地冲击篮筐。他得到13分、4个篮板和2次助攻。
比赛最佳时刻
在发球时将球打在对手身上总是很有趣。
.@ blakewesley0 又来了 pic.twitter.com/0GhUTNg5ek
— 圣安东尼奥马刺 (@ spurs) March 10, 2025
下一场比赛：周一 对阵达拉斯独行侠
马刺将在背靠背中主场迎战伤病缠身（并且可能被诅咒了？）的独行侠。在遭遇八连败后，他们能赢下一场吗？
点击查看原文：Spurs’ high energy can’t make up for major talent disparity in blowout loss to the Timberwolves
Spurs’ high energy can’t make up for major talent disparity in blowout loss to the Timberwolves
The Spurs put up a fight for most of the game against a superior opponent, but never found the extra gear needed to pull off the comeback.
No one can say the Spurs lacked effort in their 141-124 loss to the Timberwolves. They simply ran into a superior opponent that always found scoring when San Antonio took away their preferred options and took advantage of their size to get offensive boards and their superior outside shooting to cruise into victory.
It wasn’t an auspicious start for the Spurs, which logged two quick turnovers and couldn’t get stops on the other end. They found their footing quickly enough to prevent the Timberwolves from running away with it in the first quarter, but there were too many mismatches for Minnesota to attack and San Antonio’s defense had no answers. The second unit showed the only way to offer resistance was by playing an extremely energetic and at times reckless style of defense that required leaving some opponents open to take away the home team’s preferred scoring options. It worked, as the Wolves continued to hit shots and make plays, but they lost the tight grip they had on the game. The lead after one was just eight, which was a fantastic result for the Silver and Black, considering how things were looking earlier on.
The chaotic nature of the first quarter only got more pronounced in the second. It benefitted the Spurs, which seemed to embrace being constantly in rotation and zooming around the court, helping early and recovering. There were some good minutes from Sandro Mamukelashvili and even a Blake Wesley appearance, which signaled Mitch Johnson’s willingness to find alternative ways to match up with the home team. Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox carried the load on offense and everyone played with urgency on the other end. The downside of the lack of structure on defense was some second-chance points and open three-pointers for the Wolves but the tradeoff was worth it, at least at that point. At the break, the visitors continued to just trail by eight.
The big problem for San Antonio on Sunday was that they could stay in by playing hard but could never make a run. Minnesota looked better on offense to start the third but the Silver and Black, led by its veterans, put enough points on the board to prevent the deficit from getting out of control. As the second unit checked in, it seemed like the perfect time to make that elusive push, but alas, it didn’t happen despite some great minutes from Stephon Castle. After that, the Wolves tightened up on defense, which allowed them to run and get easy buckets instead of trying to grind things out in the half-court. As they did all game, the Spurs kept fighting but simply didn’t have the firepower to be a true threat to a superior opponent. Heading into the final period, the lead was 15.
There was not much suspense in the fourth. The Wolves continued to move the ball while the Spurs chased it, and they retained their advantage on the offensive glass and from beyond the arc. An untimely drought from the Silver and Black allowed the hosts to extend the lead and, with the Mavericks waiting on Monday on the second game of a back-to-back, Johnson emptied his bench. A valiant effort ended in defeat because talent, athleticism and size beat moxie, most of the time.
Game notes
- The Timberwolves tied a season-high with 38 assists and were one three shy from tying their season-high for made threes. They also had eight players in double digits. The Spurs tried to force them to rely on ball movement to beat them and Minnesota managed to do it.
- After an inefficient scoring outing in his return to Sacramento, Fox found his touch from outside and poured in four threes. The only other two Spurs who made more than one outside shot were Harrison Barnes and Devin Vassell. It’s hard to win when you make 10 fewer threes than your opponent.
- Chris Paul is getting harder to hide on defense. The Spurs put him on Jaden McDaniels and the Wolves were happy to let McDaniels cook early. Having him on shooters instead of the point-of-attack means he’s the low man often and has to help on the glass and he just can’t do it. Paul organizes the offense and creates turnovers but his limitations are just hard to conceal, especially in double point guard units.
- Bismack Biyombo and Jeremy Sochan were both fine, considering the Wolves’ size advantage. The issue is that since they can’t play together, the more Biyombo plays, the less Sochan can be on the floor. There’s no easy solution, as Bassey is similar to Biyombo, and Mamu at center offers zero rim protection. Roster construction issues are not making things easy for the young forward, turned backup center.
- Stephon Castle had another strong game, finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists and showing that he’s slowly finding consistency. The outside shot remains his biggest weakness (0-for-2 on Sunday), but he might need an offseason to fix it.
- Devin Vassell has been a lot more active on defense recently, which is fantastic news. He’ll likely never be an above-average man defender, but Castle and Sochan should be the Spurs’ guys on the ball going forward while Vassell makes his mark off the ball. Arguably the most important thing the rest of the way is for Vassell to continue to look like a two-way player.
- The Spurs’ other young vet, Keldon Johnson, is also giving fans reasons for optimism. He looks more confident and is continuing to attack the rim fearlessly. He finished with 13 points, four rebounds and two assists.
Play of the game
Bouncing the ball off an opponent on the inbound will always be funny.
.@ blakewesley0 does it again pic.twitter.com/0GhUTNg5ek
— San Antonio Spurs (@ spurs) March 10, 2025
Next game: vs. Dallas Mavericks on Monday
The Spurs will host the injury-riddled (and potentially cursed?) Mavs on a SEGABABA. Can they win one after losing eight straight?
By Jeje Gomez, via Pounding The Rock