By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-11-27 12:17:00
在2025年11月26日星期三于俄勒冈州波特兰市举行的阿联酋航空NBA杯篮球赛下半场中，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋大卫·琼斯·加西亚（中）和前锋卡特·布莱恩特（右）在一记三分球命中后做出反应。(美联社照片/Ali Gradischer)
丹佛报道 – 如果让马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 自己选择，他会像数百万美国人一样度过感恩节：待在家里，吃饱火鸡，在电视上转播的橄榄球赛前，对抗着火鸡带来的昏昏欲睡。
然而，瓦塞尔的职责描述中并不包括“NBA赛程制定者”这一项，因此他和其他马刺队员不得不在周四下午于空中度过——在南爱达荷州上空35000英尺的某个地方，从波特兰飞往丹佛。
至少，马刺队的感恩节航班还附带了一份不错的“开胃菜”。
“赢球之后的感觉好太多了，”瓦塞尔说。
为此，马刺队应该心怀感激。
周三以115-102战胜开拓者队的比赛，不仅让他们带着好心情进入了这个奔波中度过的假期，还为他们与丹佛掘金队在周五的NBA杯小组赛收官战中，于波尔球馆上演一场赢家通吃的对决奠定了基础。
击败尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic) 和他的掘金队，马刺将队史首次晋级杯赛的淘汰赛阶段。
如果输球，那么这份荣耀将属于丹佛。
在2025年11月26日星期三于俄勒冈州波特兰市举行的阿联酋航空NBA杯篮球赛上半场中，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫/前锋德文·瓦塞尔（24号）带球突破波特兰开拓者队中锋多诺万·克林根（23号）。(美联社照片/Ali Gradischer)
当然，NBA季中锦标赛的最终目标是获得下个月在拉斯维加斯举行的最终四强赛的资格。
“每场比赛都很重要，但杯赛是另一回事，”马刺队新秀迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 说，“我们正努力去拉斯维加斯。”
毫无疑问，周五在西部C组——因其难度之高而被非官方地冠以“死亡之组”的称号——的这场对决并非一场季后赛。
然而，在要么晋级要么回家的杯赛利害关系下，这场比赛将为马刺阵中许多球员带来他们所经历过的最接近季后赛级别的体验。
马刺队教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 表示，这种季后赛般的氛围对他的球队来说应该是一次宝贵的成长经历。如今，几乎任何事都能帮助球队成长。
“任何事都有助于这支队伍，”约翰逊说，“我们还处在征程的初期，正努力共同成长，一起恢复健康，并相互学习。”
马刺队之所以能走到这一步，是因为他们在周三赢得了一场事实上的淘汰赛，对手是另一支同样将这场比赛视为“准季后赛”的年轻球队。
开拓者队——以及摩达中心的主场观众——确实为比赛带来了季后赛级别的强度。
马刺队凭借德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 的37分、瓦塞尔的23分以及全队的篮板拼抢（包括朱利安·尚佩尼 (Julian Champagnie) 的11个和凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 的10个）坚持到了最后。
对福克斯而言，这是他连续第六场比赛得分至少24分。这也是他身穿马刺球衣得到的最高分，超过了上赛季对阵达拉斯时砍下的32分。
“他是联盟中最具活力的后卫之一，”米奇·约翰逊说。
马刺队当然明白周三比赛的重要性。
在开球前的几分钟，凯尔登·约翰逊在通往摩达中心球场的球员通道里召集队友，发表了一段激情的演讲，最后以六个词的动员令结尾：
“我们去赢下这场该死的比赛！”
马刺队做到了，在缺少明星中锋维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 的情况下，他们在五场比赛中赢得了第四场，文班亚马因左小腿拉伤而缺阵。同时，这也是他们在四场比赛中第三次在缺少上赛季NBA年度最佳新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 的情况下获胜。
球队将在周五对阵掘金队时继续应对这一伤病情况，而掘金队在11月份的战绩为10胜2负。丹佛队也得到了充分的休息，他们自周一客场战胜孟菲斯后就再未出战。
马刺队相信，为杯赛而战的经历只会帮助他们为未来数月争夺更高成就做好准备。
“无论是经验，还是在大场面、面对众多观众和热烈氛围中打球的经历，知道如何在关键比赛中完成防守，如何在关键比赛中得分——这绝对有帮助，”瓦塞尔说，“我们对此绝对是认真的。”
与此同时，福克斯很快指出，这支马刺队本赛季已经打过一些高水平的比赛——即便当时杯赛的荣誉并不在其中。
“像对阵休斯顿那样的比赛，感觉就像一场季后赛，”福克斯说，“我们和金州勇士打的两场比赛，也感觉像季后赛。如果我们能在任何一场比赛中都拿出那种强队，那绝对会对我们有帮助。”
为了在NBA杯锦标赛中继续存活，马刺队需要最后一次拿出那种强度。
在客场，面对一支由常年MVP候选人约基奇领衔、势头正盛的掘金队，马刺队毫无疑问将是处于下风的一方。
无论输赢，这次经历对展望未来的马刺队都是有益的。
不过，既然已经到了这一步，他们更想直接赢下来。
“球员们想去拉斯维加斯，”福克斯说，“他们想打一场冠军赛。我不知道其他更衣室是什么情况，但在这里，球员们都清楚这意味着什么。这种感觉绝对不一样。”
San Antonio Spurs forward David Jones Garcia, right, reacts after a successful three point shot was made during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Ali Gradischer)
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) dribbles around Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Ali Gradischer)
San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox (4) carries the ball up the court during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Ali Gradischer)
San Antonio Spurs forward/guard Keldon Johnson (3) blocks a shot attempt by Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Ali Gradischer)
San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox (4) shoots a three point shot over Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (17) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Ali Gradischer)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson calls out to his team from the sidelines during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Ali Gradischer)
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。
点击查看原文：Why the Spurs are thankful for the NBA Cup tournament
Why the Spurs are thankful for the NBA Cup tournament
San Antonio Spurs forward David Jones Garcia, center, and forward Carter Bryant, right, react after a three point shot during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Ali Gradischer)
DENVER – If Spurs guard Devin Vassell had his preference he would have spent Thanksgiving the way millions of other Americans celebrated the day: at home, stuffed with turkey, fighting an oncoming tryptophan coma in front of some televised football game.
Seeing as Vassell’s job description does not include “NBA schedule maker,” he and the rest of the Spurs were forced to spend Thursday afternoon in mid-air, 35,000 feet somewhere above Southern Idaho, en route from Portland to Denver.
At least the Spurs’ Turkey Day flight came with an acceptable appetizer.
“It feels a lot better winning,” Vassell said.
For that, the Spurs can give thanks.
A 115-102 victory over the Trail Blazerson Wednesday not only sent them into their busman’s holiday with a good taste in their mouths. It also set them up with a winner-take-all showdown with Denver in Friday’s NBA Cup group play finale at Ball Arena.
Beat Nikola and the Nuggets, and the Spurs will advance to the knockout rounds of the Cup tournament for the first time.
Lose, and that honor belongs to Denver.
San Antonio Spurs guard/forward Devin Vassell (24) drives to the basket past Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Ali Gradischer)
The ultimate goal of the NBA’s in-season tournament, of course, is to qualify for next month’s Final Four in Las Vegas.
“Every game is important, but the Cup is something else,” Spurs rookie Dylan Harper said. “We’re trying to get to Vegas.”
Make no mistake. Friday’s showdown in West Group C – unofficially christened the “Group of Death” due to its level of difficulty – is not a playoff game.
With win-or-else Cup stakes on the line, however, it will present as close to postseason ramifications as many players on the Spurs’ roster have experienced.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said the playoff-like vibes should be a good growing experience for his club. Almost everything is these days.
“Everything helps this group,” Johnson said. “We’re early in the journey, trying to grow together, get healthy together, learn each other.”
The Spurs arrived at this point by winning a de facto elimination game Wednesday against another young team that viewed the night as “playoffs lite.”
The Blazers – and the home crowd at the Moda Center – certainly brought a postseason-like intensity to the proceedings.
The Spurs endured thanks to 37 points from De’Aaron Fox, 23 points from Vassell and a gang-rebounding effort that included 11 from Julian Champagnie and 10 from Keldon Johnson.
For Fox, it was the sixth consecutive game with at least 24 points. It was also the most he has scored in a Spurs uniform, surpassing the 32 he poured in against Dallas last season.
“He’s as dynamic as any guard in the league,” Mitch Johnson said.
The Spurs certainly understood what hung in the balance Wednesday.
In the minutes before tipoff, Keldon Johnson gathered teammates in the tunnel leading to the Moda Center court and shouted an impassioned speech that ended with six words of marching orders:
“Let’s go win this (bleeping) game!”
The Spurs did just that, winning for the fourth time in five contests without star center Victor Wembanyama, who is sidelined with a left calf strain. For the third time in four games, they won while also missing Stephon Castle, last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year.
It is an injury situation the team will continue to navigate Friday against the Nuggets, who are 10-2 in November. Denver is also well-rested, having not taken the floor since Monday’s road win in Memphis.
The Spurs believe the battle for the Cup can only help them as they prepare to battle for even higher accomplishments in the months to come.
“Whether it’s experience, whether it’s playing in a big game, with big crowds and atmospheres, knowing how to get stops in big games, knowing how to score in big games – it’s definitely helpful” Vassell said. “We’re definitely taking it seriously.”
Fox, meanwhile, was quick to point out that this Spurs team has played in some high-level games already this season – even when the Cup was not at stake.
“A game like the Houston game, that felt like a playoff game,” Fox said. “The two games we played Golden State, those felt like playoff games. If we can get that type of intensity in any game, I think it definitely helps you.”
To stay alive in the NBA Cup tournament, the Spurs will need to bring that intensity one last time.
On the road, against a surging Nuggets team that features a perennial MVP candidate in Jokic, the Spurs will be decided underdogs.
Win or lose, the experience will be good for the Spurs as they look ahead to the future.
While they are at it, however, they would rather just win.
“Guys want to get to Vegas,” Fox said. “They want to play in a championship game. I don’t know what it’s like in other locker rooms, but here guys know what’s at stake. It definitely feels different.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News