By Jeje Gomez | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2025-10-30 09:54:32
由生成式 AI 翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
马刺4胜0负的开局含金量几何？是主要得益于赛程，还是球队确实取得了超乎预期的飞跃？
Marilyn Dubinski: 要说马刺没有从相对轻松的开局赛程中受益，那肯定不诚实（不过赛程的难度总会回归平衡的），但毫无疑问，即便在缺兵少将的情况下，他们也取得了飞跃。挥霍26分领先优势被篮网翻盘？要是两个赛季前，这场球他们就输了。在客场挑战新奥尔良时面临逆境，不得不在关键时刻，当锡安·威廉姆森 (Zion Williamson) 火力全开时逆转取胜？我不确定即便是上赛季的他们能否赢下那场比赛。而且别忘了，这是马刺队史第二次仅凭客场作战就取得2-0的开局。这绝非小事。当然，未来的比赛会更艰难，他们也会和其他球队一样面临自己的逆境，但这个强势开局的含金量是实实在在的。
Mark Barrington: 马刺至今还没遇到任何顶级强队，但在任何情况下，NBA的四连胜都相当不错了，而且圣安东尼奥在赛季初并非全员健康。鹈鹕本赛季大概是一支附加赛级别的球队，但如果锡安保持健康，他们能击败很多强队。我认为可以公平地说，我们还不知道马刺究竟有多强，但我们已经知道他们比去年更出色了，因为即使在领先优势被蚕食的情况下，他们依然能凭借坚韧终结比赛并赢下胜利，而这是上赛季球队没能做到的。
Bill Huan: 会不是两者皆有呢？马刺目前的赛程确实相当轻松，并且在未来10场比赛中仍将如此。然而，球队的进步也显而易见。文班的表现是意料之中，但斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 似乎也取得了飞跃，而迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 作为一名新秀，其影响力也超出了预期。
进步的不仅仅是球员个人——全队融入体系并扮演好自己的角色也是一个重要因素。瓦塞尔和凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 完全执行了教练组的要求，而米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 终于有权自主地运行他的体系了。球队的一切都已步入正轨，火力全开，而这还是在福克斯回归之前！
Devon Birdsong: 赛程当然有帮助，但马刺在这4场比赛中有3场是以两位数的分差取胜，并且彻底痛击了独行侠和猛龙。他们还赢下了一些过去可能会输掉的“陷阱比赛”，而且这一切都是在一连串重要球员遭遇小伤病的情况下完成的。如果说有什么不同，我认为这段赛程证明了马刺的阵容深度有多出色。在对阵猛龙的内线群时，他们不得不派上老迈的俾斯麦·比永博 (Bismack Biyombo)，但最终仍然以近20分的优势获胜。我认为对阵热火的比赛将是检验这一切是否侥幸的重要指标，因为热火（以及文班）近来一直难以应对迈阿密的防守体系，但在我看来，这感觉更像是一次质的飞跃。
Jesus Gomez: 马刺一直人手不足，犯了一些错误，并且时有松懈。真正的强队远比中庸的球队更不留情面，所以可以合理地认为，如果他们面对的是争冠级别的对手，或许无法保持全胜战绩。话虽如此，过去几场比赛中的积极因素已经超越了比赛结果本身。独行侠对文班束手无策。猛龙在上半场根本不敢冲击内线。当对手抹平巨大分差时，球队并未惊慌失措。所有这些都让人感觉是真实力的体现，即便取得全胜战绩可能要归功于赛程。
尽管缺少了杰里米·索汉 (Jeremy Sochan)，马刺本赛季至今的防守表现堪称现象级。除了文班之外，他们成功的关键是什么？
Dubinski: 我有幸已经专门写过一篇文章来探讨这个问题。一个被低估但至关重要的原因，是教练组引进了肖恩·斯威尼 (Sean Sweeney)，他堪称防守界的奇普·恩格兰德 (Chip Engelland)。球队在防守理念、体系和沟通上的改变是显而易见的，人员配置也是如此。高大的后卫和侧翼球员使得他们可以留在外线，无需过度协防甚至上包夹，而是迫使射手进行受干扰的跳投，或者将他们驱赶到内线，直面文班。过去两个赛季表明，即便你拥有世界上最好的防守者，你依然需要一个好的体系和全员的投入才能构筑起强大的防守，而到目前为止，我们正目睹着这一切的发生。
Barrington: 除了文班？根本就没有“除了文班”这回事。他几乎就是全部的答案。其他球员表现不错，但他们之所以能获得更多完成防守的机会，是因为对手根本不敢靠近维克托。维克托一人就能覆盖巨大的防守面积，这使得其他防守者可以在一个更受限的空间里进行防守。他以其惊人的覆盖范围，改变了对手进攻的形态。他不仅臂展惊人，而且速度快、敏捷，并且比去年强壮得多。只要他身边的球员能打出平均水准的防守，这支球队就将成为防守端的巨擘。
Huan: 许多NBA球队正在效仿步行者进行全场紧逼，马刺也不例外。拥有像斯蒂芬·卡斯尔这样的防守悍将，对球队成为精英级防守强队贡献巨大，这位二年级后卫似乎也取得了飞跃。此外，所有球员都融入了米奇·约翰逊的体系，马刺目前的防守轮转如丝般顺滑，宛若一体。约翰逊不惧于在比赛中抛出一些意想不到的防守策略来迷惑对手，例如几天前对阵猛龙时使用的联防，这也起到了帮助。总而言之，这是阵容提升、全员投入、战术体系以及——当然还有文班——共同作用的结果。
Birdsong: 我很想把功劳归于维克托力量的增长，因为现在球员们想冲击他的身体比过去要困难得多。文班正在进化成一个不可撼动的屏障，再加上他的身高臂展，让对手无法在低位轻松得分，这有效地成为了整个防守体系的基石。他的统治力如何让其他队友在防守端表现出色，这一点再怎么强调也不为过。然而，我必须选择卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 的加入，每当文班需要休息时，他的防守同样固若金汤。没有科内特，情况就会和上赛季一样，替补阵容一上场防守就崩溃。在对阵猛龙的比赛中，当文班不在场时，圣安东尼奥的防守效率值向负方向骤降了130（当时也没有科内特替补）。如果不能尽快迎回科内特，圣安东尼奥的赛季可能会停滞不前。
Gomez: 维克托让外线球员可以打得更具侵略性。最容易看到的是他们在持球点施加的压力，尤其是在这一点上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔看起来进步了很多。此外，他们在扑防时也更坚决，更敢于贴近外线对手，因为他们知道，一旦有人突破，就将面对联盟中最恐怖的护筐者。科内特和赛程也起到了帮助，同样重要的还有全队在防守端的专注投入。
尽管迪阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 尚未回归，马刺的进攻效率仍高居联盟前十。当他们全员健康时，球队的进攻能达到顶级水准吗？
Dubinski: 福克斯的回归只会带来帮助。球队已经表现出，当对手开始包夹文班并迫使他出球时，他们需要一个稳定可靠的额外得分点。尽管当进攻不围绕文班展开时，场面有时并不好看，但我们已经看到，当他身边的队友挺身而出并命中投篮时，能给对手的防线造成怎样的破坏——瓦塞尔、卡斯尔、哈珀和巴恩斯已经轮番做到了这一点。将福克斯加入这个组合，让对手在包夹文班时不得不三思，进攻空间将会被进一步拉开。
Barrington: 当然能吧？真不敢相信我们又遇到了一个简单的问题。我认为迪伦·哈珀在控卫位置上表现出色，而斯蒂芬·卡斯尔则表现得有些起伏，时而惊艳，时而又有些失控。拥有另一位纯正的组织后卫将减少球队进攻时而显得滞涩和漫无目的的情况。虽然球队在寻找化学反应的过程中可能会经历一段调整期，但有了福克斯，这支球队有潜力成为联盟的顶级进攻强队之一。
Huan: 这取决于我们如何定义“顶级”。我不认为马刺在赛季结束时进攻效率能排进前十，即便福克斯回归，但他们应该能达到平均水准以上。别忘了，圣安东尼奥目前的赛程一直很轻松，所以他们得到的高分并不一定能预示整个赛季的走向。考虑到他们赛季初的表现，“仅仅”是平均水准以上听起来可能令人失望，但请记住，去年这是一支进攻乏力的球队，而且我完全有理由相信他们本赛季的防守能排进联盟前十。将顶级防守与中上水准的进攻相结合，这是一支危险球队的成功秘诀，尽管他们还未准备好成为真正的争冠级别球队。
Birdsong: 对阵猛龙的比赛中，一个更有趣的数据是，在文班不在场时，圣安东尼奥的进攻效率基本保持不变。这就是为什么尽管防守端表现下滑，他们仍然能够轻松击溃猛龙。仅福克斯的加入就应该能让首发阵容的进攻效率再上一个台阶，并且这将迫使一名首发球员进入本已十分出色的替补阵容。是的，我认为他们的进攻将会是顶级的。
Gomez: 我怀疑他们无法挤进前十，更不用说前五了，主要原因是缺乏投射能力。我们已经看到，一旦文班接球，对手就会派双人包夹，这种情况将会持续。同样的情况也会发生在涉及福克斯的挡拆战术中。凯尔登·约翰逊不可能整个赛季都保持55%的三分命中率，而其他角色球员的命中率似乎也符合我们的预期。索汉的回归也可能会对进攻造成一定影响。简单来说，如果一支球队场均三分出手次数不足30次，那么他们最好能保持很高的命中率，而我并不相信这套阵容能持续做到这一点。但球队有足够的火力来保证进攻端的稳健，这足以让他们凭借顶级的防守，将净效率维持在联盟前十的行列。
点击查看原文：A soft schedule is not the only reason for the Spurs’ hot start
A soft schedule is not the only reason for the Spurs’ hot start
How real is the Spurs’ 4-0 start? Is it mostly a schedule thing, or has the team made a genuine leap beyond expectations?
Marilyn Dubinski: It would be dishonest to say the Spurs haven’t benefited from a somewhat easy opening schedule (which as always, will make up for itself), but there is also no doubt they have taken a leap despite being very shorthanded. Blowing a 26-point lead to the Nets? They lose that one two seasons ago. Facing adversity in New Orleans and having to come back in the clutch while Zion Williamson is going off? Not sure they win that one even last year. And let’s not forget they started 2-0 exclusively on the road for only the second time in franchise history. That’s not nothing. Things will of course get harder, and they’ll face their share of adversity just like all teams, but the strong start is still real.
Mark Barrington: The Spurs haven’t played any of the top teams yet, but winning four in a row is pretty good in the NBA under any circumstances, and San Antonio was not at full strength to start the season. The Pelicans are probably a play-in team this season, but they are going to beat a lot of good teams if Zion stays healthy. I think it’s fair to say we don’t know how good the Spurs are yet, but we do already know that they’re better than they were last year, because they were resilient enough to finish games and win even though they gave up leads, which is not something the team was able to do last year.
Bill Huan: Can it be both? The Spurs’ schedule has been a cakewalk so far, and will remain that way for another 10 games. However, it’s obvious that the team is much improved, too. Wemby’s a given, but Castle also seems to have made a leap while Harper’s been more impactful than expected for a rookie.
It hasn’t just been player improvements, either – buying into the scheme and playing roles is a big factor too. Vassell and Keldon have done exactly what’s been asked of them and Mitch Johnson finally has the autonomy to run his system. Everything is firing on all cylinders, and that’s before Fox is even back!
Devon Birdsong: The schedule certainly helped, but the Spurs also beat 3 of the 4 teams by double digits, and absolutely walloped the Mavericks and Raptors. They’ve also won trap games that they would have lost in the past, and they’re doing this all despite a spate of minor injuries to important contributors. If anything, I think this stretch has proved just how deep the Spurs actually are. They had to play the living ghost of Bismack Biyombo against the Raptors’ big men, and they still nearly won by 20 points. I think the Heat game will be a strong indicator of whether or not it’s a fluke, as they (and Wemby) have struggled against Miami’s defensive schemes as of late, but this feels like a leap to me.
Jesus Gomez: The Spurs have been shorthanded, made some mistakes, and let their foot off the gas at times. The really good teams are less forgiving than the mediocre ones, so it’s reasonable to say that they might not have a perfect record if they had faced a contender. That said, the good from these past few games goes beyond the results. The Mavericks didn’t know what to do with Wemby. The Raptors were terrified to get into the paint in the first half. When opponents erased big deficits, the team didn’t panic. All of that feels real, even if getting a perfect record from it might be due to the schedule.
The Spurs’ defense has been phenomenal so far despite missing Jeremy Sochan. What’s the main reason for their success, other than Wemby?
Dubinski: I had the benefit of actually writing about this already, and an underrated but key reason is the addition of Sean Sweeney to the coaching staff, who is arguably the Chip Engelland of defense. The change in philosophy, system and communication is obvious, as well as the personnel. Long guards and wings now allow them to stay at home on the perimeter without overhelping or even double-teaming, instead forcing shooters into contested jumpers or funneling them towards Wemby in the post. The last two seasons showed that even if you have the best defender in the world, you still need a good system and everyone to buy in to be a good defense, and so far we are seeing just that.
Barrington: Other than Wemby? There is no ‘other than Wemby.’ He’s pretty much the whole story. The other players are doing fine, but they are just getting so many more chances at getting stops because no opposing teams will even try going anywhere near Victor. Victor covers so much real estate by himself that other defenders can play in a much more restricted space. He changes the shape of the game for the opponent’s offense with his ability to cover so much ground. He’s not just long, but he’s quick, agile, and a lot stronger than he was last year. If the players around him can just play average defense, the team is going to be a defensive juggernaut.
Huan: Lots of NBA teams are copying the Pacers by pressuring full-court, and the Spurs are no different. Having a hound like Steph Castle has contributed greatly to the team being elite defensively, and the second year guard seems to have taken a leap as well. Moreover, all the players have bought into Mitch Johnson’s system, and the Spurs seem to be operating on a string right now in their own zone. It also helps that Johnson isn’t afraid to throw in unexpected looks to confuse opposing teams, like using zone against the Raptors a few nights ago. In all, it’s been a combination of improvements from the roster, buy-in, scheme, and, of course, Wemby.
Birdsong: I’m tempted to go with Victor’s increase in strength, as players are having a much harder time trying to go into his body than they have in the past. Wemby evolving into an immovable object, in addition to his length, keeps teams from doing anything in the post with ease, which effectively anchors the whole defense. It cannot be understated how much his dominance is allowing the rest of his teammates to excel on that end. However, I’ve got to go with the addition of Luke Kornet, who is almost as stingy whenever Wemby needs a breather. Without Kornet, it’s the same story as last season in that the bench collapses defensively. Against the Raptors, San Antonio’s defensive rating swung 130 points in a negative direction without Wemby (and Kornet to back him up). San Antonio’s season may stall if they don’t get him back soon.
Gomez: Victor allows the perimeter players to be more aggressive. It’s easiest to spot the pressure they are applying at the point of attack, where Stephon Castle in particular has looked much-improved, but it also happens on closeouts and by playing opponents closer in the perimeter, knowing that if anyone drives, they are going to have to face the scariest rim protector in the league. Kornet and the schedule have helped as well, as has the entire team’s commitment on that end.
The Spurs have a top-10 offensive rating despite not having De’Aaron Fox around. Can they become elite on that end when they are at full strength?
Dubinski: Having Fox back will only help. They have shown they need that consistent extra scorer as teams start doubling Wemby and forcing the ball out of his hands, and despite it not always looking pretty when the offense isn’t running through him, we’ve already seen what kind of defensive breakdowns it can cause when they players around him step up and hit their shots, which Vassell, Castle, Harper and Barnes have taken turns doing. Add Fox to the mix and make defenses have to think twice about doubling Wemby, and the offense will open up even more.
Barrington: Yes? I can’t believe we have another easy question. I think that Dylan Harper has done a great job holding down the fort, while Steph Castle has been pretty uneven, spectacular at times, and sometimes a little out of control. Having another pure point guard is going to cut down on the times that the offense seems a little clunky and aimless, and while there may be some period of adjustment as the team finds its chemistry, this could become one of the elite offenses in the league with Fox.
Huan: Depends on how we’re defining “elite.” I don’t expect the Spurs to finish in the top 10 in offense by year’s end, even with Fox back, but they should be above average. Remember, San Antonio’s schedule has been a cakewalk so far, so the points they’ve racked up aren’t necessarily an indication of how the rest of the season will play out. Being “just” above average might sound disappointing given how they’ve started, but keep in mind that this was an anemic offensive team last year, and I fully expect them to finish the season in the top 10 on defense. Pair that along with an above-average offense, and that’s a recipe for a dangerous team, albeit one that’s not ready to be a true flight contender just yet.
Birdsong: One of the more interesting stats from the Raptors game was that San Antonio’s offensive rating was essentially the same without Wemby on the court. That’s why they were still able to boat race the Raps in spite of the defensive letdown. Fox’s addition alone should push the rating for the starting unit even higher, and it’s going to force a starter to the already outstanding bench. Yeah, I think they’re going to be elite offensively.
Gomez: I doubt they’ll be able to crack the top 10, much less the top five, mostly because of a lack of shooting. We’ve seen teams sending two to the ball as soon as Wemby gets it, which will continue to happen. The same will apply to pick and rolls involving Fox. Keldon Johnson won’t shoot 55 percent from outside all year, and the rest of the role players seem to be connecting at about the rate we should expect. Adding Sochan to the mix could also hurt the offense. Simply put, if you are going to launch under 30 three-pointers a game as a team, you’d better make a high percentage of them, and I’m not convinced this roster can do that consistently. But there is enough firepower to be solid enough on offense that an elite defense can keep San Antonio in the top 10 in net rating.
By Jeje Gomez, via Pounding The Rock