By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-11-29 11:53:42
圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 在2025年11月28日（星期五）于丹佛对阵丹佛掘金队的NBA比赛下半场命中一记三分球后庆祝。(美联社图片/大卫·扎卢博夫斯基 (David Zalubowski))
明尼阿波利斯电 – 不，马刺队周五晚上在丹佛赢得的并非NBA总冠军，那不是一场NBA总决赛，甚至连季后赛都算不上。
然而，对于一支已经连续六个赛季未能染指季后赛的球队来说，这场139-136战胜掘金队的胜利将他们送入了NBA阿联酋航空杯锦标赛的淘汰赛阶段，其意义远不止是十一月里一场普普通通的胜利。
“我认为，对于我们这样一支没有任何集体季后赛经验的球队来说，能够在赛季初期就为某个目标而战，这是我们在训练营里就讨论过的事情，”前锋哈里森·巴恩斯 (Harrison Barnes) 说道。“我们想做到这一点，我为我们能团结一致，取得今天的成绩感到骄傲。”
在此前两届NBA杯的比赛中，马刺队都未能从小组赛出线。而这正是球队本赛季公开宣称的目标之一。
马刺队首次晋级四分之一决赛的方式，让这一切显得更加令人印象深刻。官方上，马刺队以3胜1负战绩赢得的这个小组名为“西部C组”。
然而，由于其难度之高，该小组在全联盟范围内获得了一个别样的绰号：“死亡之组”。
在这个小组中，马刺队突出重围，力压了上赛季的三支季后赛球队——休斯顿、丹佛和金州勇士——以及波特兰这支顽强的后起之秀。
他们在48小时内连续赢下了对阵开拓者和掘金队的两场生死战，从而实现了这一目标。更难能可贵的是，这些胜利是在球队的明星球员维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 因伤留在圣安东尼奥的情况下取得的。
“我认为这在一定程度上是因为我们这套阵容终于有了一些磨合的时间，”教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 说道。“文班亚马显然是最大的一块拼图，但我们整个赛季都有球员因故缺阵。当阵容像旋转门一样不断变化时，球队的连续性、化学反应和执行力就很难建立起来。
“感觉上，这套阵容在短期内总算是稳定下来了。”
凭借出色的表现，马刺队将在12月10日于Crypto.com球馆进行的四分之一决赛中对阵洛杉矶湖人队。
无论马刺队在接下来的锦标赛征程中结果如何，他们都相信这段经历会让他们变得更好。
“我觉得，在努力带领这支球队进入季后赛的过程中，这些比赛至关重要，”后卫德阿龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 说道。“每一场比赛都攸关重大，这让每一次攻防都变得更加紧张，每一次球权都价值倍增。这些比赛很难赢，因为每个人的专注度和场上意识都提升到了新的高度。”
哈珀状态回暖，渐入佳境
马刺队最近一位从伤病名单中回归的球员正持续找回状态，融入球队。因十一月初遭遇小腿拉伤而缺席了24天的迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper)，在周五复出后的第二场比赛中出战了15分钟。
这位19岁的新秀在对阵掘金队的比赛中充分利用了他的上场时间，替补登场贡献了11分、3次助攻和3次抢断。总的来说，相比于在波特兰（自11月2日以来首次登场，出战17分钟）的表现，哈珀的比赛节奏感要更好一些。
“迪伦能回归阵中真是太好了，”米奇·约翰逊说道。“我认为他（周五）打出了几段非常出色的时间。我们希望他能在此基础上继续进步。”
哈珀目前状态无虞，预计将在周日马刺队于明尼苏达结束其四连客之旅的收官战中再次登场。
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell reacts after hitting a key, three-point basket against the Denver Nuggets late in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell, front, shoots for a three-point basket as Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray comes in to cover in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet, front, looks to pass the ball under pressure from Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the second half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie flexes as he looks back to the bench after scoring a basket and drawing a foul against the Denver Nuggets in the second half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, center, collects a loose ball as Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones, left, and center Nikola Jokic defend in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie, left, drives past Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson, right, looks to pass the ball as San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie, left, defends in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson, left, and center Nikola Jokic, top left, and San Antonio Spurs forward Lindy Waters III (43) pursue the ball in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, center, drives to the basket between San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, left, and guard Devin Vassell, right, in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, front, drives past San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell, right, goes up for a basket as Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones defends in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, left, goes up for a basket as Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson defends in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell, left, drives the lane past Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball gam,e Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, right, looks to pass the ball as San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox defends in the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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：How the Spurs feel about winning the Group of Death
How the Spurs feel about winning the Group of Death
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell reacts after hitting a three-point basket against the Denver Nuggets in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
MINNEAPOLIS – No, the Spurs did not win an NBA championship Friday night in Denver. It was not an NBA Finals game.
It wasn’t even a playoff contest.
For a team that hasn’t sniffed the postseason in six seasons, however, the 139-136 victory over the Nuggets that propelled them into the knockout stage of the NBA Emirates Cup tournament felt like something more than a garden-variety win in November.
“I think for a team like us who we haven’t had any collective playoff experience, to play for something early on in the season was something that we talked about in camp,” forward Harrison Barnes said. “We wanted to do it, and I’m just proud of how we’ve come together to put ourselves in this position.”
The Spurs had not advanced out of the group play in either of the previous two NBA Cup tournaments. It was one of the team’s stated goals heading into the season.
The way the Spurs qualified for their first quarterfinals made it all the more impressive. Officially, the group the Spurs won with a 3-1 record was named “West Group C.”
Across the league, however, it had come to take on a different moniker due to its degree of difficulty: “The Group of Death.”
In winning that group, the Spurs outlasted three playoffs teams from last season – Houston, Denver and Golden State – as well as one plucky upstart in Portland.
They did it by winning two straight elimination games over the Trail Blazers and Nuggets in the span of 48 hours. That those victories came with injured stars Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle back home in San Antonio made them all the more impressive.
“I think a little bit of that is this group has just had a little bit of time together finally,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “Victor’s obviously the biggest puzzle piece, but we’ve had guys in and out all year. As you have the constant revolving door, the continuity, the chemistry, the execution’s hard to find
“It feels like this group is kind of settled in for a short amount of time.”
For their efforts, the Spurs draw a quarterfinals matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 10 at Crypto.com Arena.
Whatever happens next for the Spurs in Cup play, they are confident they will be better for competing in it.
“I feel like in trying to get this group into the playoffs, these games are huge,” guard De’Aaron Fox said. “What’s on the line in every single one of those games, it makes every possession that much tighter, every possession’s worth that much more. Those games are difficult to win because everybody has a heightened awareness of what’s going on.”
Rust coming off for Harper
The Spurs’ most recent returnee from the injured list continues to work his way back into the mix. Dylan Harper, who missed 24 days with a calf stain suffered in early November, logged 15 minutes in his second game back Friday.
The 19-year-old rookie made the most of his minutes against the Nuggets, registering 11 points, three assists and three steals off the bench. All in all, Harper seemed a bit more in rhythm than he did in Portland, when he played 17 minutes in his first action since Nov. 2.
“It’s been great to get Dylan back in the fold,” Mitch Johnson said. “I thought he had some great minutes (Friday). It’s just something we want to continue to keep building upon.”
No worse for wear, Harper is expected to be available again Sunday when the Spurs close a four-game road trip at Minnesota.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News