By Mike Finger | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-12-14 05:05:12
圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋维克托·文班亚马 (1) 在拉斯维加斯参加完2025年12月13日星期六对阵俄克拉荷马城雷霆队的NBA杯半决赛后，站在场上接受摄制组的拍摄。(美联社照片/Ronda Churchill)
拉斯维加斯——他们走下大巴，穿过红毯，径直走向几乎注定的末日。有些“罪恶之城”的演出会长演不衰，但这支天真、实力悬殊且未经考验的马刺队，注定只会在这里进行“仅此一晚的演出”。
周六，在T-Mobile球馆内，几乎所有人都对此深信不疑。观看维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 的表演，即便在他有上场时间限制的情况下，也会很有趣。他的队友们或许能带来一两次短暂的惊喜。但面对俄克拉荷马城雷霆，他们毫无胜算，因为雷霆队就是NBA版的“庄家”，而在这座城市，庄家永远是赢家。
然而，出于某种原因，那支天真、实力悬殊且未经考验的马刺队并未意识到这一点。他们每个人都带着一丝得意的微笑走进球馆，仿佛分享着一个无人知晓的秘密。随后，一位走在队尾的随行团队资深成员将一名记者拉到一旁，好似要爆个独家猛料。
“我们整个星期都会待在这儿，”他低语道。
夜幕降临时，他们不再需要低语。
他们还活着，哪儿也不去。
在一场111-109的NBA杯半决赛胜利中，他们在首节缺少文班亚马的情况下，一度落后雷霆多达16分，但最终还是设法击败了那支不可战胜的对手。此刻，他们终于可以放声呐喊，宣告他们一直坚信不疑的事情。
“有些人就是为这样的时刻而生的，”文班亚马说，“而有些人则不然。”
你尽可以嘲笑他们，因为他们庆祝的不过是一场本质上的常规赛胜利。你也可以讥笑文班班亚马在因左小腿拉伤缺阵29天后的复出首战中，仅用21分钟就砍下22分、9个篮板和2次封盖，并对着卫冕冠军秀肌肉、怒目而视，甚至出言挑衅。
你也可以告诉马刺队，终结雷霆的16连胜并没有他们想象中那么重要。
但请准备好，你在这件事上也会错得离谱。
“这场胜利表明了我们的决心，”二年级后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 说道。而现在相信这一点的人，已经远远多于周六下午马刺队大巴抵达球馆时的数量了。
相信的人越来越多，因为事实让你越来越难以否认。每当卡斯尔在进攻端扭身杀入篮下，又在防守端扼杀联盟最有价值球员的突破时，你就越来越难以否认这个孩子的与众不同。
（马刺的管理层未必需要听这话，但我绝不会用一个21岁就能和谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 正面交锋的年轻人，去换31岁的扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo)。）
每当德阿龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)、德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 或迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 几乎凭一己之力接管关键时刻，你就越来越难以怀疑文班亚马是否拥有足够的帮手，让马刺立刻成为一支真正的劲旅。
而每当文班亚马在一个他本不该驾驭的时刻力挽狂澜，你就越来越难以想象，他究竟能让那些抱持谨慎、合理预期的人们显得多么愚蠢。
例如，正如马刺队主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 周六指出的那样，期望文班亚马在对阵雷霆时远未达到最佳状态是完全合理的。他自11月14日以来就没打过比赛，缺阵超过四周。球队医疗组给他设定了20分钟的上场时间限制，这意味着他很难找到自己惯常的比赛节奏。
最重要的是，他必须在一支整个赛季不仅击败所有对手、而且是摧枯拉朽般横扫对手的球队面前，重新找回体能和比赛感觉。更何况，这还是一场全美直播、名人云集的比赛，强度可想而知。
“在某种程度上，”约翰逊说，“这对他复出的第一场比赛来说，简直是’最坏的情况’。”
但从另一个角度看，这又堪称完美，因为所谓的“最坏情况”只适用于普通人。对文班亚马而言，所有这些压力都是机遇，马刺队决定使用他的方式也是如此。
约翰逊教练没有将文班亚马的20分钟分散到整场比赛，从而冒着决胜时刻无人可用的风险，而是决定让他在第一节整节都坐在替补席上，这相当于让他以一种半常规的轮换方式来打一场36分钟的比赛。
而当他们将他释放出场时呢？
“他挺身而出，”福克斯说，“而且我认为我们更衣室里没人会对此感到意外。”
这就是他们走向那几乎注定的末日时，脸上挂着得意微笑所共享的秘密。他们不仅确信队内最好的球员会挺身而出，更确信他会带领其他人一同前进。
因此，当文班亚马在第二节登场并立刻掀起一波追分高潮时，他们对此早有预料。当他在下半场越打越自信，在篮下封盖切特·霍姆格伦 (Chet Holmgren)，并迎着亚历克斯·卡鲁索 (Alex Caruso) 命中跳投时，马刺队也预见到了这一切。而在最后几分钟，当他在身体几乎失去平衡向后倒的情况下，稳稳命中一记反超比分的跳投时呢？
那些自信的微笑，又重新回到了他们脸上。
尽管人们都那么认为，但这场演出并非“仅此一晚”。
他们于上周四抵达拉斯维加斯，现在将备战本周二对阵尼克斯队的NBA杯总决赛。
换句话说，他们整个星期都会待在这儿。
看来，末日也并非那么注定。
Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after hitting a 3-pointer against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the third quarter of a semifinal game of the Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Spurs defeated the Thunder 111-109.
Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket on Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter at T-Mobile Arena on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
De’Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs goes up for a shot against Wendell Carter Jr. #34 of the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Kia Center on December 03, 2025 in Orlando, Florida.
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) and teammates walk towards their bench at the end of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) prepares to shoot a free-throw in the second half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) dunks the ball in the second half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) defends the ball from Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) lays injured near the basket during first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) sets to play the ball in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center, tangles with San Antonio Spurs’ Keldon Johnson (3) and Stephon Castle (5) under the net in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes up for a layup near San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) during the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) jumps up for a shot near San Antonio Spurs’ Harrison Barnes (40) and Luke Kornet (7) in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives the ball past San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
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：In Wembanyama’s grand return, Spurs turn whispered promise into a roar
In Wembanyama’s grand return, Spurs turn whispered promise into a roar
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) stands on court before film crews after playing in an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
LAS VEGAS – They climbed out of the bus, walked past the red carpet, and headed straight toward their near-certain doom. Some Sin City shows last for years, but the naïve, overmatched, undertested Spurs were scheduled for an appearance that was sure to be One Night Only.
Almost everyone inside T-Mobile Arena on Saturday agreed on this. Watching Victor Wembanyama do his thing, even on a minutes restriction, would be fun. His teammates might provide a brief thrill or two. But against Oklahoma City they had no chance, because the Thunder are the NBA’s version of the house, and in this town, the house always wins.
For some reason, though, those naïve, overmatched, undertested Spurs didn’t realize this. Every one of them walked into the building with a smirk, like they shared a secret nobody else knew. And then a senior member of the traveling party, bringing up the rear, pulled a reporter aside, as if to offer a scoop.
“We’re gonna be here all week,” he whispered.
By the end of the night, they weren’t whispering anymore.
They were still alive, and they weren’t going anywhere.
And after a 111-109 NBA Cup semifinal victory in which they spotted the Thunder a 16-point lead and a Wembanyama-less first quarter and still managed to beat the unbeatable, they could scream about what they were sure of all along.
“Some people are built for these moments,” Wembanyama said. “Some people aren’t.”
Go ahead and make fun of them for celebrating what for all intents and purposes is a regular-season victory. Chuckle at the way Wembanyama flexed and scowled and even taunted the reigning league champions as he crammed 22 points, nine rebounds and two blocks into his first 21 minutes of action since straining his left calf 29 days earlier.
Tell the Spurs that ending the Thunder’s 16-game winning streak didn’t matter as much as they think it did.
But just be prepared to be wrong about that, too.
“It showed we’re serious,” second-year guard Stephon Castle said, and there are more people who believe that now than there were when the Spurs’ team bus pulled up to the arena Saturday afternoon.
More people believe that because it’s getting harder and harder not to. Every time Castle twists his way to the rim at one end of the floor and snuffs out the drives of the league’s Most Valuable Player at the other, it’s getting harder and harder to think that kid’s not special.
(And not that the Spurs’ front office needs to hear this, but there’s no way I’d trade a 21-year-old already going toe-to-toe with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for 31-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo.)
Every time De’Aaron Fox or Devin Vassell or Dylan Harper take over another key stretch, dang near on their own, it’s getting harder and harder to doubt Wembanyama has enough help to turn the Spurs into a real force, right now.
And every time Wembanyama lives up to a moment he had no business thinking he could live up to, it’s getting harder and harder to put a limit on how foolish he can make people with cautioned, reasonable expectations feel.
For example, as Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson noted Saturday, it was completely reasonable to expect that Wembanyama wouldn’t be anywhere near his best against the Thunder. He hadn’t played in a game since Nov. 14, more than four weeks earlier. The team medical staff put a 20-minute restriction on him, which meant it would be hard to find his usual flow.
On top of all that, he had to regain his conditioning and his sea legs against a team that spent this entire season not just beating everyone, but blowing them the heck out. In front of a national TV audience and a celebrity-packed crowd that was sure to up the intensity.
“In a way,” Johnson said, “it was the worst-case scenario for his first game back.”
But in another way, it was perfect, because the worst-case scenario only applied to normal humans. For Wembanyama, all that pressure was an opportunity, and so was the way the Spurs decided to deploy him.
Instead of trying to spread his 20 minutes over a full game and run the risk of not having him down the stretch, Johnson decided to keep Wembanyama on the bench for the entire first quarter, essentially keeping him on a semi-regular rotation for a 36-minute game.
And when they turned him loose?
“He rose to occasion,” Fox said, “and I don’t think anyone in our locker room thought he wouldn’t.”
That’s the secret they all shared when they walked toward their near-certain doom with smirks on their faces. It wasn’t just that they were sure their best player would rise to the occasion. It was that they were sure he’d bring the rest of them with him.
So when Wembanyama entered the game in the second quarter and immediately sparked a rally, they saw it coming. When he started feeling his oats in the second half, blocking Chet Holmgren at the rim and swishing jumpers over Alex Caruso, the Spurs saw that coming, too. And in the final minutes, when he drilled a go-ahead jumper while just about falling on his back?
All those self-assured smirks came back.
Despite what people thought, this show wasn’t One Night Only.
Having arrived in Vegas last Thursday, they’re now set for the Cup championship game against the Knicks this Tuesday.
In other words, they’ll be here all week.
Doom might not be so certain after all.
By Mike Finger, via San Antonio Express-News