By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-03-24 13:39:29
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。
圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔（左）在2025年3月23日周日在多伦多举行的NBA篮球比赛上半场比赛中，试图摆脱多伦多猛龙队后卫奥查·阿巴吉（右）的防守。(Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
底特律——圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)在对阵多伦多猛龙队的比赛中，用他的脸，实实在在地做出了一份贡献。
瓦塞尔仅出战三节就砍下25分，马刺队在周日晚以123-89 大胜阵容不整的猛龙队，取得了自去年11月赛季最高的四连胜以来的首次三连胜。
这场大胜中，发生了一个让瓦塞尔和他的队友们都开怀大笑的场景。在第三节末尾，马刺队领先28分时，瓦塞尔的脸不幸被多伦多队的R.J. Barrett扔出的一个失误传球击中。这次脸部的折射意外地引发了一次三打一的快攻，最终瓦塞尔助攻凯尔登·约翰逊完成了一记空接暴扣。
在猛龙队在该回合后叫了暂停之后，瓦塞尔回到替补席，队友们纷纷善意地取笑他，说他的脸为马刺队全场15次抢断（仅差2次就追平了赛季最高纪录）做出了贡献。
“是的，伙计，我感觉不知什么原因，在过去的几场比赛中，我一直被击中面部，” 瓦塞尔说。“但这都没关系。今晚每个人都表现出色，这是一场伟大的团队胜利。我们需要这样的胜利，这已经是我们的三连胜了，我们希望继续保持下去。”
尽管几次被击中面部，但瓦塞尔却享受了一个令人难忘的三月。
在本赛季第20次得分达到20分或以上的比赛中，这位五年级职业球员在多伦多高效地14投11中，其中包括三分球6投3中。
这是他连续第13场得分达到10分或以上的比赛，其中包括7场得分超过20分的比赛。本月至今的13场比赛中，他场均贡献19.3分、5.5个篮板、3.5次助攻、1.8次抢断和1.1次盖帽，并且三分球命中率接近40%，场均出手7.5次。
由于维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)（血栓）和达龙·福克斯(De’Aaron Fox)（手指手术）赛季报销，马刺队已经开始依靠瓦塞尔来填补得分空白。
而他也没有让人失望。
“这很有趣，我们经历了（赛季中期）的一段时间，当时有很多警报和担忧，认为他可能已经失去了魔力，但现在他却一球接一球地命中，” 马刺队的代理教练米奇·约翰逊说。“但他也在影响着比赛的胜利，并做着很多数据无法体现的事情——防守端的轮转换位，争抢篮板，破坏传球。他的轮转已经很犀利，他的补防也更加稳定。”
香帕尼表示，周日的比赛可能是瓦塞尔本赛季表现最好的一场，考虑到他在本月早些时候对阵布鲁克林篮网队的比赛中曾砍下职业生涯最高的37分，这无疑是一个很高的评价。
在对阵猛龙队的30分钟里，瓦塞尔还贡献了6个篮板、3次助攻、2次抢断和1次盖帽。
“不仅仅是得分，还有对防守细节的关注，” 马刺队前锋朱利安·香帕尼(Julian Champagnie)说道，他在周日贡献了20分。“他全神贯注。”
球迷嘘美国国歌，但为比永博欢呼
在丰业银行体育馆的18276名观众中，许多球迷在演奏美国国歌时发出了嘘声，以回应美国总统唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)对加拿大发起贸易战并威胁该国主权的行为。
特朗普对从加拿大进口的钢铁和铝征收了25%的关税，并誓言将于4月2日对加拿大实施范围广泛的对等关税。他还嘲讽加拿大，称其可能成为美国的第51个州。
当俾斯麦·比永博(Bismack Biyombo)被宣布为球队的首发中锋时，马刺队也听到了欢呼声。这位来自刚果民主共和国的32岁老将曾在2015-16赛季效力于多伦多猛龙队，并帮助球队打进了东部决赛。
在杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)连续两场比赛首发后，比永博重返首发阵容，索汉此前是约翰逊在战胜纽约和费城的比赛中采用的小球阵容的一部分。
在周日晚上的23分钟里，比永博贡献了8分、9个篮板、3次助攻、1次抢断和1次盖帽。赛后，约翰逊称赞了这位征战联盟14年的老将为这支年轻的球队提供的领导力。
“我们球队中有很多球员都希望在他们的个人职业生涯和作为一个团队方面迈出下一步，” 约翰逊说。“他们还没有进入过季后赛，或者没有参与过赛季末的胜利，为种子排名而竞争，或者他们正在学习如何在没有太多成功的情况下以正确的方式打球。而像比永博这样的人，他是一个成年人，他只是知道需要什么，以及如何对待每一天。”
“与哈里森·巴恩斯和克里斯·保罗一样，他在这方面发挥了不可估量的作用。”
韦斯利继续在防守端闪耀
三年级后卫布雷克·韦斯利(Blake Wesley)在赛季末继续努力证明自己的价值，此前他整个赛季大部分时间都坐在替补席上。
在创赛季新高的26分钟里，韦斯利贡献了8分和4次助攻。
但他在防守端的表现最为突出。他完成了3次抢断，追平了上周战胜纽约的比赛中创下的赛季最高纪录。
“他是一个防守怪物，” 香帕尼说。“无论比赛对他来说如何，无论他上场两分钟、三分钟还是三十分钟，他都会全力以赴地投入到防守端。他会加速你的节奏，他会努力比赛。”
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell, front left, lays up the ball against Toronto Raptors center Orlando Robinson (21) and forward Jamison Battle (77) during the first half of NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) passes the ball while under pressure from San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul, front left, during the second half of NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) plays the ball against Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead (23) during the first half of NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) defends against San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, left, during the first half of NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
点击查看原文：Devin Vassell stars as Spurs rout Raptors for third win in a row
Devin Vassell stars as Spurs rout Raptors for third win in a row
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell, left, looks to shoo against Toronto Raptors guard Ochai Agbaji, right, during the first half of NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
DETROIT – Spurs forward Devin Vassell literally put his best face forward against the Toronto Raptors.
Vassel had 25 points in only three quarters of work, and the Spurs routed the undermanned Raptors 123-89 on Sunday night for their first three-game winning streak since they won a season-high four in a row in November.
The romp included a play that left Vassell and his teammates laughing out loud. Late in the third quarter with the Spurs leading by 28, Vassell got hit in the face by an errant pass thrown by Toronto’s R.J. Barrett. The deflection off his face triggered a three-on-one fast break that ended with Vassell setting up Keldon Johnson for a lob dunk.
After Toronto called a timeout following the play, Vassell returned to the bench, where he got some good-natured ribbing about his mug’s contribution to one of the Spurs’ 15 steals, which was two shy of matching their season high.
“Yeah, man, I feel like for some reason I’ve just been getting hit in the face these past couple of games,” Vassell said. “But it’s all good. Great performance tonight from everybody. Huge team win. We need that. It’s our third win in a row and we want to keep this thing going.”
Despite getting smack a few times in the face, Vassell has enjoyed a memorable March.
In notching his 20th game this season with 20 or more points, the fifth-year pro hit an efficient 11 of 14 from the field in Toronto, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range.
It was his 13th game in a row with 10 or more points, including seven outings of 20-plus in that stretch. Through 13 games this month, he’s averaging 19.3, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc on 7.5 attempts.
With Victor Wembanyama (blood clot) and De’Aaron Fox (finger surgery) out for the season, the Spurs have turned to Vassell to pick up the scoring slack.
He hasn’t disappointed.
“It’s funny, we went through that (mid-season) stretch where there were a lot of alarms and concerns that maybe he had lost his powers, and now he’s making shot after shot,” acting Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “But he’s also impacting winning and doing a lot of the things that don’t show up on the box score – shifting on defense, tipping rebounds out, deflections. His rotations have been sharp, his closeouts have been more consistent.”
Champagnie said Sunday’s game might have been Vassell’s best of the season, high praise considering he had a career-best 37 points against Brooklyn earlier this month.
In 30 minutes against the Raptors, Vassell also had six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
“It’s not just the scoring, but the attention to detail defensively,” said Spurs forward Julian Champagnie, who had 20 points Sunday. “He was locked in.”
Fans boo U.S. anthem but cheer Biyombo
Many fans in the Scotiabank Arena crowd of 18,276 booed during the singing of the U.S. national anthem in response to President Donald Trump initiating a trade war with Canada and for threatening the country’s sovereignty.
Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and has vowed to impose a sweeping range of reciprocal tariffs April 2. He also has taunted Canada by saying it could become America’s 51st state.
The Spurs also heard cheers Sunday when Bismack Biyombo was announced as the team’s starting center. The 32-year-old native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo helped the Raptors reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 2015-16 in his lone season with Toronto.
Biyombo returned to the starting lineup after Jeremy Sochan started the last two games as part of a small-ball lineup employed by Johnson in the wins over New York and Philadelphia.
In 23 minutes Sunday night, Biyombo had eight points, nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Afterward, Johnson praised the leadership the 14th-year pro has provided a young team.
“We have a lot of guys on our team looking to take the next step in their individual careers and as a team,” Johnson said. "And they have not been to the playoffs or part of late-season winning, competing for seeding or whatnot, or they’re learning how to play the right way when there hasn’t been as much success. And someone like Bismack is an adult and just knows what it takes and how to approach every single day.
“Along with Harrison Barnes and Chris Paul, he has been invaluable in that regard.”
Wesley continues to shine defensively
Third third-year guard Blake Wesley continued his late push to prove his worth after sitting on the bench most of the season.
In a season-high 26 minutes, Wesley had eight points and four assists.
But it was what he did on the defensive end that stood out the most. He finished with three steals, matching the season high he set last week in the win over New York.
“He’s a defensive monster,” Champagnie said. “No matter how the game’s going for him, whether he plays two minutes, three minutes or 30 minutes, he’s going to go (all out) on that end of the floor. He’s going to speed you up. He’s going to play hard.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News