By Jacob Douglas | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2025-10-25 23:36:17
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。
在周三打出了一场近乎完美的比赛后，圣安东尼奥马刺队在周五以120-116战胜新奥尔良鹈鹕队的比赛中，再次展现出了年轻球队的面貌。这场比赛的基调是混乱的进攻、被挥霍的领先优势以及愚蠢的失误。然而，当比赛进入加时赛，在维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 犯满离场后，球队需要有人挺身而出时，他们做到了，成功在客场拼下了一场胜利。这是过去两个赛季里不常发生的事情。
若是在去年，第四节的最后两分钟足以葬送马刺。而且可以说，如果昨晚面对的是一个更强的对手，他们恐怕早已落败。在最后几个回合中，圣安东尼奥因两次失误和糟糕的投篮选择，葬送了6分的领先优势。如果他们在比赛的最后时刻能更珍惜球权、更多地消耗时间，他们本可能无需进入加时赛。
在一个以培养球员为主的赛季，这样的机会对年轻球员来说是宝贵的学习时刻，但马刺自称为季后赛的竞争者，而糟糕的失利会损害他们的机会。很明显，他们在最后时刻需要一位经验丰富的老将来稳定军心。比如，像前年度关键球员——德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 这样的人。在围绕圣安东尼奥的讨论中，他似乎有些被低估了。昨晚的比赛就显示出他的缺席会给球队带来多大的损失。
虽然场上缺少一位稳健的资深领袖，但场边却有一位声音洪亮、运筹帷幄的战术家。米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 在加时赛中指挥了一场令人难以置信的进攻表演。
在第一个回合中，约翰逊教练安排了一个移动进攻战术（flex play），为文班亚马在肘区创造了单打机会，而这位大个子在本赛季的两场比赛中都在这个位置打得如鱼得水。面对新秀中锋德里克·奎恩 (Derik Queen)，他轻松完成扣篮。
下一个回合，在文班犯满离场后，马刺教练再次采用了类似的高位策应战术，这一次由卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 担任传球手和掩护人，通过一个“zoom”战术（掩护后接手递手传球）为德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 创造了一个空位三分的机会。
在斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 转换进攻中两罚一中后，下一个半场进攻回合，圣安东尼奥又跑了同样的战术。这一次，鹈鹕队对瓦塞尔进行了过度防守，卡斯尔则假掩护后顺下，找到了底角完全空位的朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 并命中三分。
三个半场进攻回合，三次得分，拿下8分。正是这一波攻势为马刺在加时赛中奠定了他们所需要的领先优势，而这一切都源于约翰逊教练将他最好的球员们放在了能够在一个聪明的团队进攻体系中发挥自如的位置。然后，即便卡斯尔在第四节犯下了一些关键错误，约翰逊在加时赛阶段依然选择将球交到他手中来终结比赛。这位二年级生不负众望。这是马刺新任主帅一次卓越的执教展示。通过两场比赛来看，这支球队无论在场上还是教练席上，似乎都拥有取得一个成功赛季所需的天赋。
几点观察：
- 鹈鹕队展示了其他球队将如何开始针对圣安东尼奥进行调整。他们整晚都用多人包夹文班亚马，尤其是在他背对篮筐时试图迫使他出球。在与卡斯尔的挡拆中，他们选择沉退防守，迫使他用三分球来击败他们。这一策略在第四节的最后时刻为马刺带来了回报，但卡斯尔的三分球也只有8投3中。在进攻端，鹈鹕队打得很快，坚决攻击内线，然后有意识地将球分给外线的射手。没错，他们被文班盖了9次火锅，但不断冲击他也让这位大个子陷入了犯规麻烦，并为外线创造了投篮机会。其他球队是否会尝试复制这一策略，将是很有趣的看点。
- 看起来马刺队仍在学习如何协同作战。圣安东尼奥全场出现了19次失误，其中很多似乎是由于球员之间缺乏默契造成的。随着赛季的深入，这种情况会有所改观。然而，情况在好转之前可能会变得更糟，因为这支球队将在几周后迎回两位，甚至可能是三位轮换球员：福克斯、杰里米·索汉 (Jeremy Sochan) 和凯利·奥利尼克 (Kelly Olynyk)。
- 圣安东尼奥全队三分球出手43次，命中率仅为30.2%。这样的表现是远远不够的，尤其是当对手选择收缩内线防守时。幸运的是，马刺在头两场比赛中已经足够出色，能够在内线占据统治地位。但如果你要寻找这个阵容可以提升的方向，侧翼投射能力无疑是重中之重。
- 迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 在他的头两场比赛中表现不错。他在第四节有一段令人印象深刻的发挥，基本上帮助马刺挽回了比赛局势。他的传球直觉非常出色，当他积极攻击篮筐时，很难被阻挡。如果他能随着赛季的进行成为一个更具主动性的得分手，那就再好不过了。这支替补阵容将需要他的火力。
- 一直有传言称，一旦福克斯回归，瓦塞尔可能会被调至替补席。但以他目前的表现来看，很难削减他的上场时间。他是球队名单上少数几个有影响力的射手之一；他的防守正在进步，并且作为进攻中的第三选择，他打得风生水起。在周五晚上，他19投8中砍下23分，至关重要。
- 凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 在上场19分钟后就犯满离场，但很难对此感到太过失望。他从替补席上带来的能量一直非常棒。周五的比赛中，他抢下了10个篮板，其中5个是进攻篮板，并贡献了8分。他一直是这支球队的心脏，而现在他正在球场上展现这一点。
点击查看原文：What we learned from the Spurs win over the Pelicans
What we learned from the Spurs win over the Pelicans
After what felt like a near-perfect game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, the San Antonio Spurs looked more like a young squad again in Friday’s 120-116 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The game was defined by messy offense, blown leads, and silly mistakes. And yet, in overtime when it was time to step up with Victor Wembanyama fouling out, the team did what was needed to steal a victory on the road. That’s not something that happened too often in the last two seasons.
Last year, the final two minutes of the fourth quarter would have buried the Spurs. And you could argue that against a better opponent last night, it would have. San Antonio gave away a 6-point lead by turning the ball over twice and making poor shot decisions in the last few possessions. If they valued possessions and ran the clock more in the final moments of the game, they likely don’t need the overtime period.
In a development season, opportunities like this are learning moments for younger players, but the Spurs are self-proclaimed playoff contenders, and bad losses will hurt their chances. It was apparent that they needed a steady hand to calm them in the final moments. Someone like, I don’t know, the former clutch player of the year – De’Aaron Fox. He has become somewhat underrated in the conversations surrounding San Antonio. Last night showed what his absence can cost the team.
In place of a steady veteran leader on the court was a strong voice and tactician on the sideline. Mitch Johnson coached an incredible offensive overtime.
On the first play, Johnson ran a flex play to get Wembanyama isolated in the pinch post, where the big man has thrived in two games this season. He got an easy dunk against rookie big Derik Queen.
The next play, after Wemby fouled out, the Spurs coach went back to a similar high-post action, this time with Luke Kornet operating as a passer/screener in a “zoom” (screen into dribble handoff) action to get Devin Vassell a wide-open three.
After a transition free throw split by Stephon Castle, on the next half-court possession, San Antonio ran the same play. This time, the Pelicans overplayed Vassell, Castle slipped the screen, and found a wide-open Julian Champagnie in the corner for three.
Three half-court possessions, three scores, 8 points. It was the stretch that gave the Spurs the cushion they needed in overtime, and it was done by Johnson putting his best players in positions to thrive in the context of smart team offense. Then, even after Castle made critical mistakes in the fourth, Johnson put the ball in his hands again to close it out in the overtime period. The sophomore delivered. It was superb coaching by the Spurs’ new head man. Through two games, this team seems to have the talent on the bench and on the court to have a successful season.
Takeaways:
- The Pelicans showed the adjustments that teams will start to make against San Antonio. They sent multiple bodies at Wembanyama all night, especially trying to force him to give it up when his back is turned to the basket. They went way under on pick-and-rolls with Castle, forcing him to beat them from three. That paid off for the Spurs in the final moments of the fourth quarter, but Castle shot just 3-8 from deep. Offensively, they played fast, got downhill, then made a point to spray the ball out to shooters. Sure, they got blocked 9 times by Wemby, but attacking him also got the big man in foul trouble and opened up shots from deep. It’ll be interesting to see if other teams try to replicate the strategy.
- It looks like the Spurs are still learning how to play together. San Antonio had 19 turnovers in the game, and a lot of them seemed to be because guys weren’t on the same page. That will change as the year goes on. However, it could get worse before it gets better, because this team is welcoming back two, maybe three rotation players in Fox, Jeremy Sochan, and Kelly Olynyk in a few weeks.
- San Antonio shot just 30.2% from three on 43 deep shot attempts. That’s not going to get it done, especially if teams are going to pack the paint. Luckily, the Spurs have been good enough to dominate the paint in their first two games. But if you’re looking for a way this roster can improve, wing shooting certainly seems to be at the top of the list.
- Dylan Harper has looked good in his first two games. He had an impressive stretch in the fourth that essentially got the Spurs back into the game. His passing instincts are awesome, and when he’s aggressive getting to the hoop, he’s hard to stop. It would be great to see him become a more intentional scorer as the season goes by. This bench unit will need it.
- There has been talk of Vassell heading to the bench once Fox returns. It’s going to be hard to reduce his minutes with how he’s playing. He’s one of the few impactful shooters on the roster; his defense is improving, and he’s thriving as a tertiary option in the offense. He was crucial on Friday night with his 23 points on 8-19 shooting.
- Keldon Johnson fouled out after 19 minutes of play, but it’s hard to be too upset about it. His energy has been great off the bench. He grabbed 10 rebounds, 5 of them offensive, and chipped in 8 points on Friday. He has always been this team’s heart, and he’s showing it on the court right now.
By Jacob Douglas, via Pounding The Rock