By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-12-09 12:52:17
2025年3月17日，周一，洛杉矶，在一场NBA篮球赛的下半场，洛杉矶湖人队后卫卢卡·东契奇（77号）持球突破，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔（5号）上前防守。(美联社照片/Kyusung Gong)
洛杉矶电 – 曾帮助康涅狄格大学击败普渡大学夺得2024年全国冠军的马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle)，一直渴望能再次踏上这种高风险、高回报的赛场。
周三晚上在好莱坞，当马刺队在NBA杯四分之一决赛中对阵湖人队时，他的愿望将终将实现。
“这是一场关键之战，而且是在洛杉矶。没有比这更棒的了，”这位2025年NBA年度最佳新秀说道。
但马刺若想晋级拉斯维加斯，他们必须首先找到方法，彻底打破他们的卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic) 魔咒。无论全明星中锋维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 是否出战，马刺都必须克服他们过去面对这位五次入选NBA最佳阵容的巨星时屡战屡败的历史。
马刺队史上与东契奇交手的总战绩为5胜19负，其中包括本赛季唯一一次交锋——11月5日以116-118惜败。当时文班亚马还很健康，他周二随队来到了洛杉矶，但因小腿伤势已缺阵近一个月。
自从在东契奇2018-19赛季的新秀年（当时他效力于达拉斯）赢下最初三场对决后，马刺便再难占据上风，这段时间的颓势包括一波14连败。
可以说，当马刺踏上Crypto.Com球馆的地板时，他们要么是劫数难逃，要么是时来运转。对他们有利的或许是，他们在周一晚客场对阵新奥尔良的比赛中，克服了半场领先20分被反超的困境，最终以135-132取胜。
哈里森·巴恩斯 (Harrison Barnes) 贡献24分，新秀迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 全场砍下22分，并在比赛还剩9秒时命中一记致胜突破上篮，帮助马刺将战绩提升至16胜7负，其中包括7胜5负的客场战绩。
卡斯尔在因臀部受伤缺席九场比赛后，于新奥尔良复出。他重回首发阵容，出战23分钟，得到18分、5个篮板和5次助攻。朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 替补出场，凭借5记三分球贡献了17分。
文班亚马穿着便装观看了这场比赛，他在上午的投篮训练中进行了2对2对抗，并在赛前再次上场训练。抵达南加州时，他的状态是每日观察。
但即便文班亚马能够回归，东契奇依然是横亘在他们面前的一座大山。
在这位斯洛文尼亚球星的职业生涯中，他场均能得到28.6分、8.8个篮板和9.6次助攻。马刺上一次战胜他还要追溯到2021年4月11日，当时的阵容中只有凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 和德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 两名现役马刺球员，且瓦塞尔在那场比赛中并未出战。
“卢卡是最难研究的球员之一，因为他对比赛的理解和掌控力无人能及。我好像从没赢过他，” 生涯对阵东契奇0胜5负的文班亚马在11月那次交手前说道。
东契奇在周日复出，此前他因第二个女儿在斯洛文尼亚的家乡出生而缺席了两场比赛。尽管经历了跨大西洋的飞行，他在39分钟内仍砍下31分、15个篮板和11次助攻，拿下赛季第二次三双，也是他常规赛生涯的第84次。最终湖人以112-108在费城取胜，战绩提升至17胜6负。
在东契奇拿到三双的比赛中，他的球队战绩为58胜26负，其中在湖人队为3胜1负。
东契奇面对哪支球队拿到的三双最多？答案当然是马刺：七次，且全部是在他效力于独行侠队时拿到的。
是的，那七场比赛达拉斯全部获胜。
除了东契奇，马刺还将面对另一位宿敌——将于12月30日年满41岁的不老传奇勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James)。他因坐骨神经痛（本赛季初因此缺阵14场）和左脚关节炎缺席一场比赛后复出，在对阵76人的比赛中命中一记关键的反超三分，全场得到29分。
但在马刺队史的恐怖对手名单上，东契奇甚至可能超越詹姆斯。詹姆斯在常规赛46次对阵银黑军团的比赛中，战绩为25胜21负，场均27.1分、7.7个篮板和7.8次助攻。
而东契奇本赛季再次打出了MVP级别的表现，他以场均35.0分领跑联盟得分榜，同时还有9.2个篮板和9.1次助攻。
回到11月在洛杉矶的那场比赛，他面对马刺砍下35分、13次助攻、9个篮板和5次抢断，帮助湖人在第四节上演逆转，并最终在惊心动魄的最后一秒涉险过关。
湖人在第四节中段一度落后9分的情况下实现反超，东契奇在末节独得8分，包括在比赛还剩2分31秒时投中的一记关键反超三分。
“想把他完全从比赛中抹除几乎是不可能的，” 马刺队教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 派去防守东契奇的卡斯尔说道。“你只能努力让他慢下来，不给他任何轻松得分的机会，尽量让他远离罚球线。就是尽力去干扰他的每一次出手，然后祈祷他不进。”
在那场犯规缠身的比赛中，文班亚马得到19分和8个篮板。卡斯尔得到16分。
现在，马刺队有机会与湖人队一较高下——但前提是他们必须找到克制东契奇的方法。
“我认为每个人都非常认真地对待这场比赛，明白其中的利害关系和回报，” 卡斯尔说。“能够参加像周三这样的大场面比赛，我认为这会让常规赛变得更加精彩。”
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, tries to pass as San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots a 3-pointer over San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
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：To advance to Las Vegas, Spurs must end their Luka Doncic futility
To advance to Las Vegas, Spurs must end their Luka Doncic futility
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
LOS ANGELES – Having helped Connecticut beat Purdue for the 2024 national championship, Spurs guard Stephon Castle has been yearning to play in another high-stakes game.
It will finally happen for him Wednesday night in Hollywood when the Spurs face the Lakers in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
“It’s a big-stakes game. In L.A. It don’t get no better than that,” the 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year said.
But for the Spurs to advance to Las Vegas, they must first find a way to finally exorcise their Luka Doncic demon. With or without All-Star center Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs will have to overcome their history of mainly failing against the five-time All-NBA force.
The Spurs are 5-19 all-time against Doncic, including a 118-116 loss on Nov. 5 in their only meeting this season, back when Wembanyama, who made the trip to L.A. on Tuesday but has been sidelined for nearly a month with a calf injury, was healthy.
After winning their first three games against Doncic during his rookie season with Dallas in 2018-19, the Spurs have struggled to gain the upper hand again, a period of futility that includes 14 losses in a row.
Suffice it to say, the Spurs are either doomed or due when they take the court at Crypto.Com Arena. Working in their favor perhaps, they bounced back after losing a 20-point halftime lead to win 135-132 at New Orleans on Monday night.
Harrison Barnes pumped in 24 points and rookie Dylan Harper punctuated a 22-point outing with a go-ahead driving bucket with 9 seconds left to help the Spurs improve to 16-7, including 7-5 on the road.
Castle returned to the court in New Orleans after missing nine games with an injured hip. Back in the starting lineup to log 23 minutes, he finished with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists. Julian Champagnie chipped in 17 points off the bench on the strength of five 3-pointers.
Wembanyama watched the game in street clothes after playing 2-on-2 during morning shootaround and hitting the court for more work before the game. His status was day to day upon arrival in Southern California.
But even if the Spurs get Wembanyama back, Doncic still stands firmly in their way.
For his career, the Slovenian star is averaging 28.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 9.6 assists versus the Spurs, whose last win against him came on April, 11, 2021 on a team that included only two current members of the Spurs, Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell, who didn’t play in that game.
“Luka is one of the hardest players to scout because he understands and masters the game more than anyone else. I don’t think I’ve ever won against him,” Wembanyama, who is 0-5 versus Doncic, said before their November meeting.
Doncic returned to action Sunday after a two-game absence to fly to his Slovenian hometown for the birth of his second daughter. Despite those transatlantic flights, he finished with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists in 39 minutes for his second triple-double of the season and the 84th of his regular season career as the Lakers improved to 17-6 with a 112-108 win at Philadelphia.
Doncic is 58-26 in his triple-double games, including 3-1 with the Lakers.
What team has Doncic recorded the most triple-doubles against? The Spurs, of course: Seven, all of which came when he was with the Mavericks.
And, yes, Dallas won each time.
In addition to Doncic, the Spurs face another longtime nemesis, ageless wonder LeBron James, who turns 41 on Dec. 30. Returning from a one-game absence due to sciatica, which kept him sidelined for the first 14 games this season, and left foot joint arthritis, the NBA career scoring leader hit a late go-ahead 3-pointer and scored 29 points against the Sixers.
But when it comes to feared opponents in Spurs history, Doncic may even surpass James, who in 46 regular season games against the Silver & Black is 25-21 with averages of 27.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.8 assists.
And Donic is enjoying yet another MVP-caliber season, leading the league in scoring with 35.0 points to go along with 9.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists.
Back in November in L.A., he posted 35 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds and five steals against the Spurs to help the Lakers rally in the fourth quarter before surviving a frantic final second.
The Lakers rallied from a nine-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter, as Doncic scored eight points in the final frame, including a clutch go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:31 to play.
“It’s damn-near impossible to erase him out of the game," said Castle, who Spurs coach Mitch Johnson tasked with defending Doncic. "You try to keep him as slow-paced as possible, don’t let him get any easy ones, try to keep him off the free-throw line. Just try to contest everything and hope for a miss.”
Wembanyama had 19 points and eight rebounds in that foul-plagued game. Castle had 16.
Now, the Spurs get a chance to even the score with the Lakers - but only if they can figure out a way to overcome Doncic.
“I think everybody is taking is pretty serious, what the stakes are, what the rewards are," Castle said. "Being able to play in big-time games like we are Wednesday, I think it amplifies the regular season.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News