By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-04-08 14:13:08
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。
圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)(40号)运球突破，波特兰开拓者队中锋多诺万·克林根(Donovan Clingan)(23号)在2025年4月6日星期日在俄勒冈州波特兰举行的NBA篮球比赛下半场进行防守。(美联社照片/Amanda Loman)
洛杉矶——马刺队前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)最初的目标并非连续参加300场NBA比赛。
但这并非偶然发生。
“我努力做好一切必要的事情，让自己始终能够为队友提供帮助，”巴恩斯说，“我认为这是你能做出的最高级别的奉献，那就是始终确保，无论你上场多久，无论你在比赛中做什么，你都要始终让自己可以上场。”
这位32岁的巴恩斯在周日马刺队以120-109负于波特兰的比赛中出场33分钟。马刺队因此被淘汰出附加赛争夺行列。
这是他连续出战的第300场比赛，是他职业生涯中最长的纪录，也是目前NBA第二长的纪录，仅次于纽约的米卡尔·布里奇斯(551场)。
巴恩斯将在周二延续这一纪录，届时马刺队将继续他们的客场之旅，在洛杉矶面对快船队。
“考虑到他在身体上、精神上、甚至在他自己的个人世界里，在某些时候肯定会遇到一些问题，但他仍然能够准时上班，这非常值得称赞，”马刺队代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)说，“这对我们的球员来说，看到和身处其中是非常宝贵的。”
对巴恩斯来说，NBA“铁人”的生活一部分是身体上的，一部分是精神上的。
他对出勤率的重视源于他在北卡罗来纳大学的日子，在那里，关于迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)顽强备战的故事广为流传。
乔丹在他15个NBA赛季中的9个赛季都打满了82场比赛，包括他在2002-03赛季作为一名39岁的华盛顿奇才队球员的最后一个赛季。
“很明显，在北卡罗来纳大学的时候，你听到了很多关于他如何训练的故事，”巴恩斯说，“我认为，当你看到伟大的球员时，他们的出勤率都是一致的。能够在场上并随时待命，是我一直引以为傲的事情。”
巴恩斯希望这种态度能够影响到他的年轻队友。
新秀后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)说，的确如此。
“从我刚来这里的时候，你就能看到他是一个终极的职业球员，他做每件事都一丝不苟，总是早到，照顾好自己的身体，”卡斯尔说，“有了这些无形的东西，自然就成就了（连续出场）纪录。”
2025年4月6日星期日，在俄勒冈州波特兰举行的NBA篮球比赛上半场，波特兰开拓者队前锋克里斯·穆雷（左）和圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(右)争抢球权。(美联社照片/Amanda Loman)
卡斯尔对赢得年度最佳新秀充满信心
与此同时，卡斯尔已经在精神上清理了他的壁炉架，准备迎接NBA 2024-25赛季的年度最佳新秀奖杯。
“我觉得在这一点上，我已经基本锁定胜局了，”卡斯尔说。
如果这位20岁的卡斯尔之前还不是毫无悬念的热门人选，那么赛季末的爆发几乎已经为他锁定了这个奖项。
前往洛杉矶之前，卡斯尔已经连续四场比赛至少得到15分、5个篮板和5次助攻。
最近两位取得如此成就的新秀是上赛季的马刺队的维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)（8场）和2018-19赛季的达拉斯的卢卡·东契奇(Luka Doncic)（5场）。
卡斯尔在对阵开拓者队的比赛中得到22分，这是他本赛季第24场至少得到20分的比赛。NBA中没有其他新秀有超过10场这样的表现。
“我一直都在自由地打球，尽量不去想太多，”这位来自康涅狄格大学的四号秀卡斯尔说，“作为一名新秀，很难做到这一点，但现在我真的只是顺其自然，努力让比赛来找我，比以往任何时候都更信任我的队友，并从他们对我的信任中获得信心。”
2025年4月6日星期日，在俄勒冈州波特兰举行的NBA篮球比赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫马拉基·布兰纳姆(Malaki Branham)（22号）在波特兰开拓者队前锋图马尼·卡马拉(Toumani Camara)（33号）和前锋克里斯·穆雷(24号)之间投篮。(美联社照片/Amanda Loman)
布兰纳姆展现复苏迹象
约翰逊会第一个承认后卫马拉基·布兰纳姆(Malaki Branham)有理由对他在NBA的第三个赛季的表现感到失望。
“由于缺乏机会，他不得不与很多个人的挫败感作斗争，”马刺队教练说，“这是完全可以理解的。”
布兰纳姆的多次“未激活”最终导致他在三月份去了一趟G联赛，打了一场比赛，以获得急需的上场时间。
亡羊补牢，为时未晚，布兰纳姆希望在赛季结束前打出一波高潮，让马刺队想起他们为什么在2022年选秀中首轮选中他。
在周二的比赛之前，布兰纳姆在之前的两场比赛中以29投13中的命中率得到30分。
“我只是想做一些小事情，只是想帮助球队获胜，”布兰纳姆说，“只是想为我的比赛增加一些新的东西，并在篮球比赛的各个方面都发挥价值。”
马刺队教练一直在督促布兰纳姆提高他的防守。这位21岁的球员渴望向教练组展示他在防守端取得了多大的进步。
“当我上场比赛时，我觉得我展示了这方面的进步，”布兰纳姆说，“如果我没有上场，就很难展示出来。你只需要做好准备，无论何时被点到我的名字，我都会竭尽全力。”
点击查看原文：Harrison Barnes' iron man streak hits 300
Harrison Barnes’ iron man streak hits 300
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) drives to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
LOS ANGELES – Spurs forward Harrison Barnes did not set out with the goal of playing in 300 consecutive NBA games.
It did not just happen by accident, however.
“I try to do the things necessary to always make myself available to my teammates,” Barnes said. “I think that’s the highest level of giving that you can do, is always making sure that however much you play, whatever you do in the game, that you just always make yourself available.”
The 32-year-old Barnes logged 33 minutes in the Spurs’ 120-109 loss at Portland on Sunday.
It was his 300th game in a row, the longest streak of his career and second-longest active in the NBA behind New York’s Mikal Bridges (551).
Barnes was set to extend that streak Tuesday when the Spurs continue their road trip to Los Angeles to face the Clippers.
“To think that he didn’t have stuff going on at some point physically, mentally, in his own personal world, whatever it may be, and yet he shows up and clocks in for work like that is commendable,” Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. “It’s just invaluable for our guys to see and be around it.”
To Barnes, the life of an NBA iron man is part physical and part mental.
His approach to availability was shaped by his college days at North Carolina, where tales of Michael Jordan’s dogged preparedness were legendary.
Jordan appeared in all 82 games in nine of his 15 NBA seasons, including the final one in 2002-03 spent as a 39-year-old with the Washington Wizards.
“Obviously, going to Carolina, you hear a lot of stories about how he trained,” Barnes said. “I think just when you look at great players in their availability, I think that’s something that’s consistent. Just being on the floor and being available is something I try to pride myself on.”
It is an attitude Barnes hope will rub off on his younger teammates.
Rookie guard Stephon Castle says it has.
“From when I first got here, you could just see that he was the ultimate pro who does everything right, gets there early, takes care of the body,” Castle said. “With those intangibles, it kind of leads to that (streak).”
Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray, left, and San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, right, grab for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
Castle confident in ROY chances
Castle, meanwhile, is already mentally clearing space on his mantle for the NBA’s 2024-25 Rookie of the Year trophy.
“I feel at this point I pretty much got it locked up,” Castle said.
If the 20-year-old Castle wasn’t the hands-down favorite before, a late-season surge has all but wrapped up the award for him.
Castle headed to L.A. riding a streak of four consecutive games of at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists.
The most recent two rookies to post such a streak are the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama last season (eight) and Dallas’ Luka Doncic in 2018-19 (five).
Castle’s 22 points against the Trail Blazers was his 24th game this season of at least 20. No other rookie in the NBA has more than 10 such outings.
“I’ve always been playing free and trying not to overthink things,” said Castle, the fourth overall pick out of Connecticut. “It is hard as a rookie to not, but right now really just flowing, trying to let the game come to me, trusting my teammates more than anything and getting confidence from their trust in me as well.”
San Antonio Spurs guard Malaki Branham (22) shoots from between Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) and forward Kris Murray (24) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
Branham showing signs of life
Johnson will be the first to admit guard Malaki Branham has the right to be disappointed in how his third NBA season has gone.
“He’s had to fight a lot of personal frustration for lack of opportunity,” the Spurs coach said. “It’s totally understandable.”
Branham’s string of DNPs eventually resulted in a one-game trip to a G League to get some much-needed playing time in March.
Better late than never, Branham is hoping to put together a finishing kick to the campaign that reminds the Spurs why they drafted him in the first round in 2022.
Heading into Tuesday, Branham had totaled 30 points on 13-of-29 shooting in his previous two games.
“I’m just trying to do little things, just trying to help the team win,” Branham said. “Just trying to add layers to my game and just be valuable in all aspects of the basketball game.”
Spurs coaches have been on Branham about improving his defense. The 21-year-old is eager to show staff how far he has come on that end of the floor.
“When I played, I felt like I showed improvements of that,” Branham said. “It’s kind of tough to show if I haven’t been on the court. You just have to stay ready and whenever my number called, I’m going to give everything I got.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News