By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-01-04 12:40:55
2026年1月3日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的一场NBA篮球比赛中，波特兰开拓者队中锋多诺万·克林根（Donovan Clingan）（中）在上半场面对圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋朱利安·尚帕尼（30号）和中锋卢克·科内特（7号）的防守投篮。(美联社照片/埃里克·盖伊)
马刺队中锋卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 坐在记者面前，他的手臂上布满了过去和现在低位肉搏留下的伤疤和抓痕，其中就包括刚刚与波特兰的年轻巨兽多诺万·克林根的一番“摔跤比赛”。
“这是一场有趣的较量，”科内特在赛后发布会上谈到他与这位2024年NBA选秀7号秀的缠斗时说。“很显然，我们本可以在一些方面做得更好，从而赢下比赛。”
身高7英尺1英寸、体重270磅的科内特贡献了赛季新高的23分和5次盖帽，但开拓者队最终在周六晚的霜冻银行中心以115-110获胜，这在很大程度上要归功于身高7英尺3英寸、体重280磅的克林根拿下生涯新高的24分和12个篮板，以及德尼·阿夫迪亚 (Deni Avdija) 贡献29分、11个篮板和10次助攻，斩获个人赛季第三次三双。
尽管科内特在他本赛季第19次、也是连续第2次首发出战中表现出色，但马刺队并不介意看到他重回替补席，为周日刚满22岁的维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 担任替补。
最快在周二晚上马刺对阵灰熊的比赛中，这种情况就可能发生。
马刺队教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 在周六赛前表示，他预计因左膝酸痛连续第二场缺阵的文班亚马将会随队前往孟菲斯。
“距离比赛还有好几天，所以我们得看情况发展，但目前一切顺利，”约翰逊谈及文班亚马最近的伤病康复情况时说。“我们都希望他能上场。我知道他已经摩拳擦掌、迫不及待了，我们会尽快让他重返赛场。”
但就目前而言，马刺队仍然庆幸他们在上个休赛期签下了科内特。
“他一直表现很棒，”得到19分的德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 在对阵波特兰后说道。
福克斯接着感叹道，马刺队（总战绩25胜10负，文班亚马缺阵时10胜4负）在对阵开拓者时没有给予科内特足够的支持。开拓者队在进攻篮板上以16-12占优，其中克林根一人抢下6个，并在二次进攻得分上以26-18领先。
“我们明知他面对的是联盟中最出色的进攻篮板手之一，就必须为他提供帮助，”福克斯说。
马刺队在第二节一度落后15分的情况下奋起直追，并在第三节一度取得领先。但开拓者队（16胜20负）以一波16-6的攻势结束该节，带着87-80的领先优势进入第四节。
福克斯和科内特在末节合砍18分，但阿夫迪亚命中一记迎着斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 防守的后撤步三分，在比赛还剩49.6秒时帮助波特兰取得114-110的领先，从而终结了比赛。
教练盛赞医疗团队
约翰逊教练向球队的医疗团队以及马刺队球员表现与健康副总裁沙维·谢林 (Xavi Schelling) 本赛季的工作表达了敬意，他们处理了包括文班亚马在内的多名伤员的情况。除了目前的膝盖问题，文班亚马此前还因小腿受伤缺席了12场比赛。
“我们现有的医疗团队已经在这里工作了很长时间，所以随着这些年我职位的变化，我很幸运能以几种不同的方式或层面与他们建立并维系关系，”约翰逊说。“他们在保持球队健康方面扮演着不可或缺的角色，无论是通过球员体能训练、伤病预防，还是外界通常更想了解的——现有伤病的康复。”
约翰逊表示，教练组和球员们都明白球员的健康“永远是第一位的”，并且他们都与谢林合作得很好，这对工作很有帮助。
“我和沙维沟通频繁，他拥有我本人和整个组织的完全信任，并被充分授权来分享他的专业意见，”约翰逊说。“我们在各个层面的所有工作中都进行合作，这也包括（总经理）布莱恩·莱特 (Brian Wright) 和他那边的团队。”
西索科为开拓者注入“火焰”
前马刺球员西迪·西索科 (Sidy Cissoko) 从不缺乏自信，他表示，在自己进入NBA第四个赛季、也是在波特兰的第一个完整赛季中，随着出场时间的增加，他“做得非常出色”。
他的教练、同样是前马刺球员的蒂亚戈·斯普利特 (Tiago Splitter) 也同意这一评价。这位身高6英尺7英寸、体重220磅的前锋目前手持一份双向合同，本赛季他出战了31场比赛，其中12场首发，场均出场时间达到生涯新高的20.4分钟。
在周六替补出战的22分钟里，西索科得到7分和6个篮板，其中包括2个进攻篮板。他还助攻克里斯·穆雷 (Kris Murray) 命中一记三分，帮助开拓者在比赛还剩5分38秒时取得了9分的领先优势。
“他打球很努力，每晚都拼尽全力，”斯普利特这样评价西索科，“无论出场时间多少，他都始终如一。我们知道他会为比赛注入激情，我喜欢这一点。”西索科是马刺队在2023年第二轮（总第44顺位）选中的球员，并于去年二月被球队交易。
斯普利特还称赞了这位21岁法国球员的组织进攻和防守技巧。
“他是一位出色的传球手，”斯普利特说。“他在防守端非常努力。有时候他会去防守对方最好的球员。”
他还为这支冉冉升起的开拓者队带来了一丝格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 的印记。
“我们每晚都必须去竞争，”西索科说。“我们不能把问题归咎于我们年轻之类的借口。就像波波（Pop）说的那样，你必须不停地锤炼岩石，总有一天它会裂开的。”
Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, left, and San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) reach for a rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (17) is fouled as he drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
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：Luke Kornet has been 'great,' but Spurs ready to welcome back Wemby
Luke Kornet has been ‘great,’ but Spurs ready to welcome back Wemby
Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, center, shoots against San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) and center Luke Kornet (7 during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Spurs center Luke Kornet sat before reporters with his arms dotted by scars and scratches from low-post skirmishes past and present, including a just-completed wrestling match with young Portland behemoth Donovan Clingan.
“It was a fun battle,” Kornet said at the postgame podium of his tussle with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft. “Obviously, we could have done some stuff better to come out on the better side.”
The 7-foot-1, 270-pound Kornet posted season highs for points (23) and blocks (five), but the Trail Blazers prevailed 115-110 Saturday night at the Frost Bank Center thanks in large part to the 7-foot-3, 280-pound Clingan finishing with a career-high 24 points and 12 rebounds and Deni Avdija recording 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double of the season.
As good as Kornet was in his 19th start of the season and second consecutive, the Spurs wouldn’t mind seeing him come off the bench again in relief of Victor Wembanyama, who turned 22 on Sunday.
That could happen as soon as Tuesday night when the Spurs face the Grizzlies.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said before Saturday’s game he expects Wembanyama, who missed his second game in a row Saturday with a sore left knee, to be part of the team’s traveling party to Memphis.
“That’s more than a couple of days away, so we’ll have to see how it goes, but it’s going well,” Johnson said of Wembanyama’s latest injury rehab. “We all want him to play. I know he’s champing at the bit and we’ll get him out there as soon as we can.”
But for now, the Spurs continue to be grateful they signed Kornet last offseason.
“He’s been great,” said De’Aaron Fox, who had 19 points against Portland.
Fox went on to lament how the Spurs (25-10 overall, 10-4 without Wembanyama) didn’t give Kornet enough help against the Blazers, who finished with a 16-12 edge on the offensive boards, with Clingan grabbing six, and a 26-18 edge in second-chance points.
“We have to help him knowing he was going up against one of the best offensive rebounders in the league,” Fox said.
The Spurs fought back from a 15-point second quarter deficit to lead in the third quarter. But the Blazers (16-20) closed the period on a 16-6 run to take an 87-80 lead into the fourth.
Fox and Kornet combined for 18 points in the final frame, but Avdija put the game away by sinking a step-back 3-pointer over Stephon Castle to give Portland a 114-110 lead with 49.6 seconds left.
Coach praises medical staff
Johnson tipped his hat to the team’s medical staff and Spurs vice president of player performance and wellness Xavi Schelling for the job they’ve done this season dealing with various injured players, including Wembanyama, who, in addition to his current knee problem, missed 12 games due to an injured calf.
“The medical staff we have in place has been here for quite some time, so I’m fortunate to be able to use a relationship with them that I’ve had in a few different ways or levels just because of how my position has changed over the years,” Johnson said. “They play such an integral part in keeping the team healthy, whether that’s through player fitness, prevention of injury or what the outer world is usually more motivated to know about, (rehab) from current injuries.”
Johnson said it helps that the coaching staff and players understand that player health is “always the priority” and that they all work well with Schelling.
“Xavi and I communicate quite a bit and he has the full trust of myself and the organization and full empowerment to make sure he shares his opinions,” Johnson said. “We collaborate in everything we do on every level, and that includes (general manager) Brian (Wright) and his side as well.”
Cissoko bringing “fire” to Blazers
Never one to lack confidence, former Spur Sidy Cissoko said he’s “doing a great job” with the increased playing time he’s been receiving in his fourth NBA season and first full year with Portland.
His coach, Tiago Splitter, another former Spur, agreed with that assessment. Playing under a two-way contract, the 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward has started 12 of the 31 games he’s appeared in this season and is averaging a career-best 20.4 minutes per game.
In 22 minutes off the bench Saturday, Cissoko had seven points and six rebounds, including two on the offensive end. He also earned the assist on a 3-pointer by Kris Murray that gave the Blazers a nine-point lead with 5:38 left in the game.
“He plays hard, brings it every night,” Splitter said of Cissoko, who the Spurs traded last February after selecting him in the second round (44th overall) in 2023. “He did that with less minutes, with more minutes. We know he is going to bring fire to the game, and I love that.”
Splitter also praised the 21-year-old Frenchman’s play-making and defensive skills.
“He’s a great passer,” Splitter said. “He’s trying hard on defense. Sometimes he guards the best playing the other team.”
And he’s brought a touch of Gregg Popovich to the up-and-coming Blazers.
“We got to compete every night,” Cissoko said. “We can’t blame things on us being young and stuff like that. Like Pop said, you’ve got to keep pounding the rock, and one day it is going to crack.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News