By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-04-14 13:23:33
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克里斯·保罗（3号）在圣安东尼奥 Frost Bank Center 的上半场比赛中等待多伦多猛龙队的罚球。2025年4月13日，星期日。
去年七月，当马刺队向当地媒体介绍克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)时，他被问到为何会与一支重建球队签下一年的合同，而不是加入一支有冠军希望的队伍。
“打球的机会，享受比赛，参与竞争，”保罗说道。
而他确实“享受比赛”直至赛季的终场哨声。
保罗成为了NBA历史上第一位在其第20个或更晚赛季打满常规赛全部82场比赛的球员。在周日以125-118逆转战胜多伦多的比赛中，他出战了34分钟，并在比赛的最后几秒掌控着球权。(点击此处查看比赛回顾)。
“我只是想打球，”即将于5月6日年满40岁的保罗在被问及他是否计划上场这么长时间时说。
“猛龙队板凳席上的一个球员在第四节问我，‘你为什么还在场上？’我说，‘如果你没能打进季后赛，那夏天就会很漫长，’”保罗说。“不然我还能做什么呢？”
这位未来铁定入选名人堂的控球后卫帮助马刺队克服了22分的落后差距，赢得了本赛季的第34场胜利——比上赛季提高了12场——他在他职业生涯的第1354场比赛中拿下15分、7个篮板、6次助攻以及追平赛季最高的4次抢断。
他还与迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)和约翰·斯托克顿(John Stockton)一起，成为第二年长的出战全部82场比赛的球员。斯托克顿以40岁的高龄打满82场比赛保持着这一纪录。
如果这是保罗在NBA的最后一场比赛，那他绝对是以一种精彩的方式退场的。在最后的20.3秒里，他贡献了3分、1次助攻、1次抢断和1个篮板。那次抢断和助攻，帮助凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)在比赛还剩11秒时完成了一记空接上篮，让全场18672名观众起立为这位曾经被马刺球迷憎恨的球员欢呼。
“伙计，这太不可思议了，”保罗说。“我职业生涯中，有些场边球迷一直都在针对我，但能在一个不同的基础上了解他们，感觉真是太好了。这里的球迷真是令人难以置信。”
保罗的超强竞争精神也在最后几分钟展现了出来，他和猛龙队的斯科蒂·巴恩斯(Scottie Barnes)以及裁判比尔·肯尼迪(Bill Kennedy)发生了言语交流。
“我总是说，我讨厌失败胜过喜欢胜利。如果这是一场比赛，我们会全力以赴，”保罗说。“第一次（巴恩斯）假摔了一下，然后他又来了一次（但没有被判犯规）。比尔说，‘我的错。’我说，‘那我们来这里干什么？’
“说真的，我们来这里是为了比赛，为了享受比赛。我认为我们的球队甚至也谈到了这一点。代理马刺主教练米奇(Johnson)在中场休息时说：‘你们必须意识到你们总是在被评估，你做任何事情的方式都代表着你做所有事情的方式。’所以，无论你是在场上还是场下，都要保持竞争力，渴望胜利。”
保罗的态度和持久性给他的队友留下了深刻的印象。他以赛季723分和605次助攻的成绩，成为联盟历史上第一位在其第20个赛季或更晚赛季中得到700分以上和600次以上助攻的球员。
“他已经打了20年了，什么都做过了，赚了所有他需要的钱……他本可以躺在，我不知道，夏威夷，什么也不做。但他却在这里，在德克萨斯州的圣安东尼奥，拼尽全力打了82场（脏话）比赛，只是做他自己的事情，” 索汉(Jeremy Sochan)说。
保罗是否会回归并迎来他的第21个赛季还不得而知。他在赛后表示，他对自己的计划“一无所知”，但很快会与家人讨论自己的未来。
无论他做出什么决定，这个赛季为马刺打球的日子，他都过得很开心。
“在这里真是太不可思议了，”他说。
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) drives down the court during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025. The Spurs defeated the Raptors 125-118 on Fan Appreciation Night.
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) answers questions following a Spurs’ win against the Toronto Raptors on Fan Appreciation Night at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025. The Spurs defeated the Raptors 125-118.
点击查看原文：Chris Paul never stopped hooping for Spurs
Chris Paul never stopped hooping for Spurs
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) waits for Toronto Raptors free throws during the first half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025.
When the Spurs introduced Chris Paul to the local media last July, he was asked why he signed a one-year deal with a rebuilding team rather than join one with championship aspirations.
“The opportunity to play, to hoop, to compete,” Paul said.
And “hoop” he did right through the season’s final buzzer.
In becoming the first player in NBA history to play in all 82 games of the regular season in his 20th season or later, Paul logged 34 minutes in Sunday’s 125-118 come-from-behind win over Toronto and was on the court with control of the ball as the final seconds ticked off.
“I wanted to hoop,” Paul, who will turn 40 on May 6, said when asked if he had planned to play so many minutes.
“One of the guys on their bench asked me in the fourth quarter, ‘Why are you still in?’ I said, ‘It’s a long summer when you don’t make the playoffs,’” Paul said. “What else I got to do?”
The future first-ballot Hall of Fame point guard helped the Spurs overcome a 22-point deficit to notch their 34th win – a 12-game improvement over last season – by finishing with 15 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a season-high-matching four steals in the 1,354th game of his career.
He also joined Michael Jordan and John Stockton as the second-oldest player to appear in all 82 games. Stockton holds the record after playing 82 at age 40.
If it was Paul’s final NBA game, he went out in style, recording three points, one assist, one steal and one rebound in the final 20.3 seconds. The steal and assist, which set up Keldon Johnson for a lob layup with 11 seconds left, had the sellout crowd of 18,672 on its feet cheering for a player once hated by Spurs fans.
“Man, it’s unbelievable,” Paul said. “Some of these courtside fans been on me (throughout) my career, but it’s been so good to get to know people on a different basis. The fans here are unbelievable.”
Paul’s ultra-competitive approach was also on display in the final minutes when had a few words with the Raptors’ Scottie Barnes and referee Bill Kennedy.
“I always say I hate to lose more than I like to win, and if it’s a game, we show up (to compete),” Paul said. "The first time (Barnes) had a little flop, and then he did it again (with no foul called). And Billy’s like, ‘My bad.’ I was like, ‘So what the hell are we here for then?’
“Seriously, we showed up, let’s play, let’s hoop, and I think that’s what our team even talked about. That’s what (acting Spurs coach) Mitch (Johnson) said at halftime: ‘You got to realize you’re always being evaluated, and how you do anything is how you do everything.’ So whether you are in or out, it’s just about being competitive and wanting to win.”
Paul’s attitude and longevity made an impression on his teammates. By finishing the season with 723 points and 605 assists, he became the first player in league history to have 700 or more points and 600 or more assists in their 20th season
“He’s in year 20, has done everything, has made all the money he needs. … He could be in flipping, I don’t know, Hawaii, doing nothing. And he’s here in San Antonio, Texas, busting his ass for 82 (expletive) games, just doing his thing,” Jeremy Sochan said.
Whether Paul returns for a 21st season is uncertain. He said after the game he had “no clue” about his plans but would be discussing his future with his family soon.
No matter what he decides, he had a blast while hoopin’ for the Spurs this season.
“It’s been unbelievable here,” he said.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News