By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-12-14 12:18:59
2025年12月13日，星期六，于拉斯维加斯举行的一场NBA杯半决赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋维克托·文班亚马 (1) 在下半场迎着俄克拉荷马城雷霆队后卫杰伦·威廉姆斯 (8) 的防守投篮。(美联社照片/Ronda Churchill)
拉斯维加斯电 – 维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 的及时回归，帮助马刺队赢得了一场与纽约尼克斯队的焦点对决——他对此享受其中，尽管他只出战了21分钟。
“哦，你无法想象。这感觉太不可思议了，”当被问及在因小腿伤势缺阵近一个月后，于周六晚以111-109战胜NBA卫冕冠军的比赛中打球有多开心时，他如此说道。
在这场NBA杯半决赛中，文班亚马罕见地替补出场，在第四节独得22分中的15分，而德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 贡献了23分，马刺在最后几分钟顶住压力，逆转战胜了联盟领头羊雷霆队。
在文班亚马出战的比赛中，马刺取得了8胜4负的战绩，而在他缺阵期间，球队战绩为9胜3负，他早已迫不及待想要回归。
“我很高兴能成为这支队伍的一份子，我们正在成长为一支打法华丽、纯粹且正派的球队，”他说道。
德阿龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 各为马刺贡献22分，此役马刺赛前被看作是11分的劣势方，但获胜后战绩提升至18胜7负。凭借这场胜利，他们每位球员获得了212,373美元的奖金，因为他们闯入了冠军赛。
谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 得到雷霆（24-2）全队最高的29分。切特·霍姆格伦 (Chet Holmgren) 和杰伦·威廉姆斯 (Jalen Williams) 各为俄克拉荷马城贡献17分。继去年在NBA杯决赛中负于密尔沃基后，这是他们在拉斯维加斯遭遇的连续第二场失利。
“他们很年轻，非常出色，天赋异禀，而且打法正确，”吉尔杰斯-亚历山大如此评价马刺。从12月23日到2月4日，马刺将与雷霆再交手四次，其中包括在俄克拉荷马城举行的一场圣诞大战。
不过在此之前，马刺将在周二晚的NBA杯决赛中对阵尼克斯（18-7）。尼克斯的全明星后卫杰伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson) 在周六以132-120战胜奥兰多魔术的比赛中砍下赛季新高的40分。而大约一年前的圣诞节，文班亚马曾在麦迪逊广场花园空砍42分和18个篮板。
.@ wemby 高光集锦，无限循环
: 22分 | 9篮板 | 2助攻 | 2盖帽 pic.twitter.com/5WSNoAyPKY
— San Antonio Spurs (@ spurs) December 14, 2025
获胜方每位球员将入账308,560美元，此前晋级决赛已为他们带来每人212,373美元的奖金。双向合同球员获得的奖金是标准合同球员的一半。
周六的比赛中，自文班亚马在终场前2分32秒命中一记14英尺跳投，帮助球队以102-101取得领先后，马刺再也未曾落后。随后在还剩1分18秒时，他又两罚全中，将优势扩大到105-101。
整个第四节，文班亚马10罚7中，现场支持马刺的球迷们则为他高呼“M-V-P”。
这是文班亚马自11月14日对阵金州勇士队以来的首次登场，他最终贡献了9个篮板、2次盖帽和+21的正负值。这也是这位21岁的法国球员在两个多赛季的NBA生涯中首次担任替补，从而终结了他连续129场首发的纪录。
也许NBA年度最佳第六人奖项会是他的未来？
“我确实有过这个想法，不骗你……一个人能同时拿到年度最佳第六人和MVP吗？”他开玩笑说。
文班亚马在第一节整节休战，直到第二节开始才登场。这是马刺主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 及其团队制定的策略之一，目的是在医疗组将其出场时间限制在20分钟的情况下，将这位身高7英尺4英寸的全明星中锋留到关键时刻使用。
在他受伤前的12场比赛中，文班亚马场均出战34.6分钟。
“我们基本上是把比赛拆成了一场12分钟的比赛和一场36分钟的比赛，”约翰逊说。“不确定这有多合乎逻辑，但这就是我们当时面临的情况和我们使用他的方式。我认为他在无需得分的情况下，依然对比赛产生了巨大的影响，做得非常出色。”
确实如此，文班亚马仅出战7分钟，得到5分和5个篮板，但半场结束时他的正负值就已高达+20。
“我赛前的想法是，”文班亚马说，“在这样的比赛里，无论条件如何，你都必须有所作为。（缺席第一节）只是个小细节——只打三节我完全没问题。现在回想起来，我认为这是一个不错的方案。我只是尽力去充分利用它。”
第一节结束时，马刺以20-31落后，社交媒体上的球迷们因此抨击约翰逊，但这位39岁的教练最终笑到了最后。
“我们不在乎外界的噪音，不在乎其他人的看法，”瓦塞尔说。“我知道文班（Vic）想上场打更长时间，但我们着眼于他的长远发展。所以他们制定了完美的计划。我知道他们对此反复讨论过很多次，而我们执行了它。文班一上场，就立刻带来了我们需要的影响力。”
马刺队开局三分线外12投0中，在第二节一度落后16分。但凭借一波15-2的攻击波，他们在半场结束时将比分追至46-49。这波攻势由文班亚马在半场结束前14.3秒迎着以赛亚·哈尔滕施泰因 (Isaiah Hartenstein) 命中一记后撤步三分画上句号。
随着文班亚马和乔丹·麦克劳克林 (Jordan McLaughlin)（腿筋伤势）的回归，周六的比赛标志着马刺本赛季首次全员健康。约翰逊表示，这是一个“激动人心”的进展，因为他和他的教练团队终于可以尝试他们已经规划了数月的轮换阵容了。
“我们有很多讨论和想法，可能要追溯到夏天，关于我们想如何尝试不同的球员组合，如何利用不同球员的优势，以及场上的不同搭配。对于其中一些想法，我们必须保持耐心，”这位教练说。
文班亚马本人就非常期待看到教练组如何安排轮换，以最大化发挥由福克斯、卡斯尔和新秀迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 组成的后卫三人组的威力，哈珀在周六的比赛中贡献了8分。
“他们（指后卫们）会是对手的大麻烦，”文班亚马说。“他们冲击篮筐的能力迫使对方整个防守体系转移重心，这就为其他所有人创造了机会。”
就目前而言，马刺队的一切似乎都运转良好。而文班亚马也正投身其中。
“我认为我们正走在正确的道路上，而且这是我职业生涯中第一次，我们的胜场远多于负场，”他说。“所以这感觉非常愉快。”
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 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.
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.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) lands on the court during 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)
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 Luguentz Dort (5) jumps to the basket near San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) 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 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：Victor Wembanyama thrived in limited minutes to lead Spurs past Thunde
Victor Wembanyama thrived in limited minutes to lead Spurs past Thunde
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball near Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) in the second half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
LAS VEGAS – Victor Wembanyama made it back just in time to help the Spurs gain another marquee game against the New York Knicks – and he loved every minute – albeit just 21 of them – of doing so.
“Oh, you can’t imagine. It’s just incredible,” he said when asked how much fun he had in Saturday night’s 111-109 win over the defending NBA champions after a calf injury sidelined him for nearly a month.
Wembanyama scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter in a rare appearance coming off the bench, and Devin Vassell contributed 23, as the Spurs hung on in the final minutes for a come-from-behind win over the league-leading Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals.
The Spurs went 9-3 without Wembanyama after going 8-4 with him, and he couldn’t wait to re-join them.
“I’m just glad to be a part of something that’s growing to be so beautiful, so pure, and ethical basketball, you know,” he said.
De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle each scored 22 for the Spurs, who improved to 18-7 after coming into the game an 11-point underdog. They earned $212,373 per player for reaching the championship game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder (24-2) with 29 points. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each totaled 17 for Oklahoma City, which suffered its second loss in a row in Las Vegas after dropping last year’s Cup final to Milwaukee.
“They are young, really good, have a lot of talent, play the right way,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of the Spurs, who will face the Thunder four more times between Dec. 23 and Feb. 4, including a Christmas Day clash in Oklahoma City.
First, though, the Spurs face the the Knicks (18-7) and All-Star guard Jalen Brunson, who had a season-high 40 to lead New York past the Orlando Magic 132-120 on Saturday, for the NBA Cup on Tuesday night nearly a year after Wembanyama had 42 points and 18 rebounds in a losing effort at Madison Square Garden on Christmas Day.
.@ wemby highlights on repeat
— San Antonio Spurs (@ spurs) December 14, 2025
The winner pockets $308,560 per player after earning $212,373 per player for advancing to the final. Two-way players receive half of what players on standard contracts collect.
The Spurs never trailed Saturday after Wembanyama sank a 14-foot jumper with 2:32 left to give them a 102-101 lead. He also connected on two free throws for a 105-101 advantage with 1:18 to go.
In all, Wembanyama was 7 of 10 from the free-throw line in the fourth as the pro-Spurs crowd supported him with “M-V-P” chants.
Appearing in his first game since Nov. 14 against Golden State, Wembanyama also finished with nine rebounds, two blocks and a plus-21 rating.It was the first time in two-plus seasons in the NBA the 21-year-old Frenchman has been in a reserve role, snapping a string of 129 consecutive starts.
Perhaps the NBA’s sixth man award could be in his future?
“I have had this thought. I’m not going to lie. … Can you be a Sixth Man of the Year and MVP?” he joked.
Wembanyama sat out the entire first quarter before entering the game at the start of the second. It was part of a strategy devised by Spurs coach Mitch Johnson and his staff to save the 7-foot-4 All-Star center for crunch time after the medical staff placed him on a restriction of 20 minutes.
In his 12 games before his injury, Wembanyama averaged 34.6 minutes per game.
“We basically played a 12-minute game and then a 36-minute game,” Johnson said. “Not sure how logical it is, but that’s the cards we were dealt and how we played him, and I thought he did a phenomenal job of impacting the game without having to score.”
Indeed, Wembanyama finished the first half plus-20 even after recording just five points and five rebounds in just seven minutes.
“My thoughts before the game,” Wembanyama said, “were that in this kind of game you have to make things happen, no matter the conditions, and (sitting out the first quarter) is just a slight detail – I can do just all right with three quarters. Looking back, I think it was a good formula. I just tried to make the most of it.”
Fans on social media bashed Johnson after the Spurs trailed 31-20 at the end of the first period, but the 39-year-old coach got the last laugh.
“We don’t care what the outside noise is, what everybody else thinks,” Vassell said. “I know Vic wanted to get out there and play more, but we’re focused on his long term. So they had the perfect plan. I know they talked about it over and over and over again and we executed it, and as soon as Vic came in, he had the impact we needed.”
Down by 16 in the second quarter after starting the game 0 for 12 from 3-point range, the Spurs cut it to 49-46 at halftime with a 15-2 run capped by Wembanyama sinking a pull-up 3 over Isaiah Hartenstein with 14.3 seconds left.
With the return of Wembanyama and Jordan McLaughlin (hamstring), Saturday’s game marked the first time this season the Spurs have been entirely health. Johnson said it’s an “exciting” development in the sense he and his staff can finally try the rotations they’ve been mapping out for months.
“There’s a lot of conversations, ideas stemming back to the summer probably, of how we want to play different combinations, ways to try to take advantage of different guys’ strengths, different combinations on the floor, and you’ve had to be patient with some of that,” the coach said.
Wembanyama, for one, is looking forward to seeing how the staff figures out rotations to maximize the guard trio of Fox, Castle and rookie Dylan Harper, who contributed eight points Saturday.
“They’re going to be huge problems,” Wembanyama said of the guards. “The ability they have to get downhill, it makes the whole defense shift their focus, so it just opens up things for everybody.”
For now, everything the Spurs are doing seems to be working just fine. And Wembanyama is there for it.
“I think we’re on the right path, and for the first time in my career, we’re winning much more than we’re losing,” he said. “So it’s a lot of pleasure.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News