By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-04-09 13:56:51
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。
圣安东尼奥马刺队的凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson) (0) 对一次犯规提出质疑。金州勇士队对阵圣安东尼奥马刺队,2025年3月30日星期日在 Frost Bank 中心举行。
旧金山报道——这个消息并非完全出乎意料,但也并非凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson) 想听到的。
当马刺队教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich) 在2023年12月将约翰逊叫到一旁,告知他将被无限期地调到替补席时,这位年轻后卫知道他的工作生涯即将发生改变。
“一开始很挣扎,”约翰逊说。
十六个月后,可以肯定地说,约翰逊已经像海狮适应旧金山海湾一样适应了他的替补角色。
在周二马刺队以122-117输给洛杉矶快船队的比赛中,约翰逊以12分领跑马刺队的第二阵容。这场比赛虽然平淡无奇,但意义重大。
通过这场比赛,这位25岁的约翰逊将自己的名字刻入了球队的记录簿。本赛季他替补出场得到935分,是俱乐部历史上替补球员的最高得分。
是的,超过了名人堂成员兼著名替补球员马努·吉诺比利(Manu Ginobili)。
“能够打破这样的记录,这是一种荣幸和祝福,”约翰逊说。“能够穿着马刺队球衣做到这一点,意义更加特别。我不想以其他任何方式或在任何其他地方,只想在圣安东尼奥做到。”
人们可能认为圣安东尼奥的任何替补记录都将永远属于吉诺比利。
吉诺比利在2007-08赛季替补出场得到923分,那个赛季他赢得了NBA最佳第六人奖。
约翰逊周二超越了这个纪录。
“能够与马努相提并论,就像梦想成真一样,我无法想象,”约翰逊说。“能够参与到那个讨论中对我来说是超现实的。”
约翰逊在2019年选秀大会上以第29顺位被肯塔基大学选中,他迅速成为了马刺队历史上最贫瘠赛季的代表人物之一。
他在第二个赛季成为首发球员,并在2022-23赛季以场均22分领跑全队。从2020年到2023年12月,在之前的234场比赛中,约翰逊首发了231场。
他是一名NBA首发球员,并为此感到自豪。
“他是一个曾经带领我们球队获得得分王的球员,然后去了替补席,”马刺队代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson) 说。“这对一个年轻球员来说很难。”
事实上,凯尔登·约翰逊承认,他必须咽下一些自尊。在周三对阵金州勇士队的比赛前,他场均得到12.5分,这是他新秀赛季以来的最低值。
吉诺比利在2007-08赛季场均得到职业生涯最高的19.5分,但在那个赛季的74场比赛中,他首发了23场。
约翰逊在本赛季的全部75场比赛中都替补出场。除非在最后三场比赛中发生什么不可预见的事情,否则这将是约翰逊六年职业生涯中第一次没有至少首发一次的赛季。
即使约翰逊的替补得分记录带有一点星号,他的牺牲也没有被他的马刺队队友忽视。
“凯尔登在寻找影响比赛的方式方面做得非常出色,”马刺队前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes) 说。“无论是首发还是替补,或者在更衣室里,他总是带来令人难以置信的能量。我喜欢他在整个过程中表现出的坚韧。”
在吉诺比利出现之前,球队的替补得分纪录属于戴夫·科尔津(Dave Corzine),他在1980-81赛季总共获得857个替补得分。查克·珀森(Chuck Person) 以1994-95赛季的845个替补得分排名第四。马科·贝里内利(Marco Belinelli) 以2018-19赛季的820分位列前五。
就像之前的吉诺比利一样,马刺队教练计划将约翰逊作为一个榜样,他接受并在一个所谓的“减少的”角色中茁壮成长,为了球队的利益。
“在优先考虑和强调的事情方面,他一直把球队放在第一位,”米奇·约翰逊说。“他热爱马刺队。看到他因为这样的事情(记录)而得到回报,这非常酷。”
曾经,凯尔登·约翰逊认为自己将永远是一名首发球员。
他现在已经接受了一个不同的命运。
他的目标是成为马刺队历史上最伟大的替补球员之一。记录显示,他已经做到了。
“我觉得每个人的道路都不一样,”约翰逊说。“有过很多起起落落,但一切总会解决的。”
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (0) shoots between Portland Trail Blazers guard Rayan Rupert (21) and forward Justin Minaya (10) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (0) drives to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (17) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe, center left, drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (0) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
San Antonio Spurs Keldon Johnson (0) reacts after losing control of the ball. Golden State Warriors v San Antonio Spurs on Sunday,March 30,2025 at the Frost Bank Center.
San Antonio Spurs Keldon Johnson (0) gets advice from assistant coach Mitch Johnson. Golden State Warriors v San Antonio Spurs on Sunday,March 30,2025 at the Frost Bank Center.
点击查看原文:How the Spurs' Keldon Johnson came to rule from the bench
How the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson came to rule from the bench
San Antonio Spurs Keldon Johnson (0) questions a foul. Golden State Warriors v San Antonio Spurs on Sunday,March 30,2025 at the Frost Bank Center.
SAN FRANCISCO – The news what not completely unexpected, but not exactly what Keldon Johnson wanted to hear.
When Spurs coach Gregg Popovich pulled Johnson aside in December of 2023 and informed him he would be moving to the bench indefinitely, the young guard knew his work life was in for a change.
“It was a struggle at first,” Johnson said.
Sixteen months later, it is fair to say Johnson has taken to his bench role like a sea lion to the San Francisco Bay.
Johnson led the Spurs’ second unit with 12 points in Tuesday’s 122-117 defeat at the Los Angeles Clippers, a nondescript night that was nevertheless monumental.
In doing so, the 25-year-old Johnson etched his name into the franchise record books. It gave Johnson 935 points off the bench this season, the most for a reserve in club history.
Yes, more than Hall of Famer and renowned reserve Manu Ginobili.
“Being able to break a record like that, it’s such an honor and a blessing,” Johnson said. “To be able to do it in a Spurs jersey makes it so much more special. I wouldn’t want to do it any other way or be in any other place but San Antonio.”
One might have believed any bench record in San Antonio would forever belong to Ginobili.
Ginobili scored 923 points off the bench in 2007-08, the season he won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.
Johnson surpassed that Tuesday.
“To be able to be in the same company as Manu, it’s like a dream come true, something I couldn’t dream of,” Johnson said. “To be in that conversation is surreal for me.”
Drafted 29th overall out of Kentucky in 2019, Johnson quickly became the face of some of the most fallow seasons in Spurs annals.
He became a starter in his second season, and led the team in scoring at 22 points per game in 2022-23. From 2020 through December 2023, Johnson has started in 231 of his previous 234 appearances.
He was an NBA starter, and proud of it.
“He’s a guy who has led us in scoring for a season and then went to the bench,” Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. “That’s hard for a young player.”
Indeed, Keldon Johnson admits there was some pride swallowing that had to take place. He headed into Wednesday’s game at Golden State averaging 12.5 points per game, his fewest since his rookie season.
Ginobili averaged a career-best 19.5 points in 2007-08, but started in 23 of his 74 appearances that season.
Johnson has come off the bench in all 75 of his games this season. Barring something unforeseen over the final three games, it will be the first campaign of his six-year career in which Johnson does not start at least once.
Even if Johnson’s bench scoring record comes with a bit of an asterisk, his sacrifice has not gone unnoticed by his Spurs teammates.
“Keldon has done an unbelievable job of just finding ways to impact the game,” Spurs forward Harrison Barnes said. “Whether it’s starting or coming off the bench, or in the locker room, he’s always brought incredible energy. I love the grit he has shown throughout the process.”
Before Ginobili came along, the franchise bench scoring record belonged to Dave Corzine, who totaled 857 reserve points in 1980-81. Chuck Person ranks fourth with 845 bench points in 1994-95. Marco Belinelli rounds out the top 5 with 820 points in 2018-19.
Like Ginobili before him, Spurs coaches plan to use Johnson as an example of a player who accepted and thrived in a quote-unquote diminished role for the good of the team.
“He’s continued to put the team first, in terms of what he prioritizes and emphasizes,” Mitch Johnson said. “He loves the Spurs. To see him rewarded with something like that (record), it’s very cool.”
Once upon a time, Keldon Johnson considered himself a starter for life.
He has now accepted a different lot.
His goal is to become one of the greatest bench players in Spurs history. The record books say he is already there.
“I feel like everybody’s path is different,” Johnson said. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs, but it’s always worked itself out.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News