By Jared Weiss and Jon Krawczynski | The Athletic, 2026-01-18 12:00:02
圣安东尼奥电——在某个惊心动魄的第四节，“蚁人”与“外星人”展开了针锋相对的飙分大战，那一刻感觉就像是NBA新篇章真正开启的黎明。当时，安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 最想做的，就是把维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 带到弧顶，直视他的双眼，然后对他说：咱们来单挑。
“我太爱这种感觉了。我真希望我们能把所有人都清出场外，就我和他对位单挑，”爱德华兹说。
忘了什么美国队对世界队吧，也别提什么循环赛或者球员选秀组队了。还有什么能比爱德华兹和文班亚马——联盟两位最耀眼的年轻新星——在全明星周末上演一对一，为了那份炫耀的资本而战更令人神往的吗？
这基本上就是周六晚上在圣安东尼奥上演的剧情，当时文班亚马率领的马刺队在比赛的关键阶段与爱德华兹的明尼苏达森林狼队展开激战，并最终以126-123取胜。
文班亚马在30分钟内得到39分，三分球9投4中，并抢下9个篮板。在圣安东尼奥第二节狂砍48分的攻击波中，他独得20分，命中3记三分，罚球线上8罚7中，看起来就像任何一个22岁的球员所能达到的最不可阻挡的状态。
外星人操作
@ FanDuelSN_SW pic.twitter.com/cGPuRoMwZz
— San Antonio Spurs (@ spurs) January 18, 2026
凭借他那超凡脱俗的身材、投射能力和丝滑技术的结合，马刺队在半场结束时就取得了25分的领先优势。他们利用了森林狼队背靠背第二场作战的疲态，而且森林狼队的首发中锋鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert)（臀部挫伤）和他的替补纳兹·里德 (Naz Reid) 都缺阵，后者仅打了五分钟就因左肩受伤离场。
就在这支人手短缺的森林狼队看似无力阻挡西部二号种子时，此前因脚趾感染（困扰了他数周）而缺席了两场比赛的爱德华兹挺身而出，前来救主。在中场休息时，主教练克里斯·芬奇 (Chris Finch) 因球队缺乏强度而痛斥了全队，之后爱德华兹告诉队友们，他们必须从自己做起，重新找回防守端的锐气。
“比赛的头两个回合，（德阿隆·）福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 就一步过掉我上篮得分，”爱德华兹说。“所以，我们在防守上必须做得更好。然后芬奇进来痛骂了我们一顿，我们也做出了回应。”
但这远不足以形容爱德华兹随后 unleashed 的狂风暴雨般的攻势。他在最后两节砍下了职业生涯新高55分中的39分，其中第四节独得26分。
森林狼队在第四节开始时将分差缩小到12分，但爱德华兹的好戏才刚刚上演。他在末节三分球7投5中，包括一记在比赛还剩2分58秒时帮助森林狼队以113-110反超的25英尺远投。
他已经杀疯了。 pic.twitter.com/Arz9cfBDEW
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@ Timberwolves) January 18, 2026
当他的投篮不断命中时，替补席上的队友们都难以置信地抱住了自己的头。丹特·迪文琴佐 (Donte DiVincenzo) 也从之前8投7铁的低迷中振作起来，在最后两分钟命中两记关键三分，为森林狼队续命。
这是爱德华兹职业生涯第三次砍下50+，追平了卡尔-安东尼·唐斯 (Karl-Anthony Towns) 保持的队史纪录。他全场33投19中，其中三分球16投9中。
“说实话，这太有趣了，”爱德华兹说。“这让我脸上露出了笑容。人们不明白，拿50分真的很难。他们会包夹你，他们会派两个人、三个人来防你。你必须投进很多高难度投篮才能得到50分。”
文班亚马则挺身而出，强势回应。他命中两记罚球，在比赛还剩不到一分钟时投进一记关键跳投，帮助马刺队以120-119取得领先，并在防守端盖掉了他的同胞琼·贝林格 (Joan Beringer) 的一次进攻，帮助圣安东尼奥（29胜13负）保住了胜利。
“这是一种荣誉，也是最棒的事情，能看到最顶尖的球员们拼尽全力，”文班亚马说。“首先，这让我们变得更好，也让我变得更好。这是一种尊重，一种进步的体现，因为现在的排名让我们成为了一支值得尊敬的球队。”
文班的射程
— San Antonio Spurs (@ spurs) January 18, 2026
马刺队是本赛季联盟最大的惊喜之一，他们以远超多数人预期的速度飙升至西部第二的战绩。这样的成功也让他们这个7尺4寸的巨人成为了众矢之的。
就在上周，森林狼队和马刺队在一场一月中旬的比赛中展开激战，那场比赛的激烈程度仿佛是五月的季后赛。明尼苏达在标靶中心逆转了19分的分差赢下了那场比赛，而森林狼队知道，在圣安东尼奥的复赛中他们必须拿出最佳状态。
“他们有文班。他被认为是联盟的未来门面，”爱德华兹说。“面对他，我总是必须打起十二分精神。”
随着勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James)、斯蒂芬·库里 (Stephen Curry) 和凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant) 这些长期的联盟头牌进入职业生涯的黄金岁月，爱德华兹和文班亚马正是一小批迈向联盟顶层球员中的一份子。爱德华兹的 swagger（嚣张气质）以及他带领森林狼队连续两年闯入分区决赛的表现，无疑使他成为了当前联盟的门面之一。他将不得不与文班亚马、谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)、卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Dončić) 以及任何其他后起之秀争夺那个独一无二的头衔。
爱德华兹已经多次明确表示，他对那个模糊不清的头衔没有兴趣。
“维克托拿去好了，”爱德华兹说。“我觉得你必须把……无论这是什么……扛在肩上，成为人们希望你成为的样子，而我无论如何都会做我自己。我不想有太多压力。”
爱德华兹拥抱的是篮球本身带来的压力。他希望在最重要的时刻球能在自己手中。曾经在关键时刻决策不佳、投篮效率低下的爱德华兹，在他职业生涯的第六个赛季，这些情况下的投篮命中率达到了令人难以置信的72.3%，其中三分命中率高达62%。
“他今天的表现鼓舞人心，”芬奇周六说道。
詹姆斯和库里不仅仅是伟大的球员；他们是比赛的大使、守护者，他们所要承担的要求远远超出了球场本身。爱德华兹则是一个爱说垃圾话、飙脏话、又充满乐趣的球员，他在自己的比赛上极为努力，但更希望不被联盟办公室的各种事务所打扰。他的力量在于他能做自己，永远带着那份微笑和坚定不移的自信。
仅仅进入联盟第三个赛季，文班亚马就已经具备了成为一名真正的NBA“政治家”的所有特质。他明白舆论的风向是多么变幻莫测，并且已经开始超越传统明星的界限，做得更多。
“有时候人们会生你的气。有时候人们又会爱你，”文班亚马说。“只要你做自己并且开心就好。我们是在打篮球，我们的生活很棒。”
当被问及是否希望有朝一日成为联盟营销机器的顶端人物时，文班亚马没有直接回答。相反，他欣赏爱德华兹忠于自我的态度。
“我认为在整个人生中，有引导是件好事。对我们来说，能在这个环境中成长是一件很棒的事，”文班亚马说。“最重要的是做你自己，因为如果我们想在这个联盟长久立足，我们不可能扮演一个角色长达15、20年。所以到某个时候，如果你认为自己是个好人，那就做你自己。”
就目前而言，这两位年轻基石在球场上的对决，已经提供了任何人所能要求的所有娱乐性和悬念。而对他们两人来说，最令人兴奋的是，他们身边都有大量的帮手。
周六晚上，杰登·麦克丹尼尔斯 (Jaden McDaniels) 得到23分、5个篮板和5次助攻，朱利叶斯·兰德尔 (Julius Randle) 得到17分、10个篮板并在第四节展现了出色的内线防守，新秀贝林格为森林狼队（27胜16负）贡献了10分、8个篮板，并且在23分钟内正负值达到全队最高的+9。
马刺队这边，福克斯得到25分和12次助攻，凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 得到20分，包括在比赛还剩17秒时命中一记锁定胜局的关键三分球。
水花
— San Antonio Spurs (@ spurs) January 18, 2026
爱德华兹想要的一对一比赛短期内不会实现。他和文班亚马将不得不满足于偶尔对位的那些时刻。就在上周，爱德华兹在突破文班亚马后杀入篮下，命中了制胜一球。
“我只是很气我防不了他，因为他有7尺8寸高，”爱德华兹说道，只是稍微夸张了一点。“大多数球员，我都可以换防到他们面前去防守。但和他交手真的很有趣。”
他已经明确表示，他正在寻觅在文班亚马头上完成自己第一次扣篮的机会。刚进联盟时，爱德华兹因其在大个子球员头上扣篮的本事而被称为“海报小子”。现在，他把目光投向了最高大的那个。
“我肯定要在他头上扣一个，”爱德华兹说。“绝对的。”
文班亚马的回答很简单：放马过来。
“（爱德华兹）就是想在每个人头上扣篮，所以我也不例外，”文班亚马说。“当然，我也会准备好迎接挑战。如果他势头正盛，而我晚了一点点，他可能不会手下留情，但没关系。我会去尝试。未来的岁月里，我会努力盖掉他，比他扣我的次数更多。”
通过这些早期的交锋，敬佩之情油然而生。爱德华兹表示，他预计马刺队将是季后赛中最难对付的球队之一，与俄克拉荷马城和丹佛并列。他一直关注着文班亚马为自己的身板增肌。
“我能从远处看出他是个训练狂，”爱德华兹说。“对此我唯有尊敬。”
在爱德华兹的世界里，没有比这更高的赞美了，但这并不意味着他会在文班亚马崛起的过程中退缩。当被问及在那个假设的一对一比赛中谁会赢时，他毫不犹豫。
“我。”
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 versus Anthony Edwards is the new-age rivalry the NBA needs
Victor Wembanyama versus Anthony Edwards is the new-age rivalry the NBA needs
SAN ANTONIO — At one point in a heart-pounding fourth quarter, when Ant-Man and the Alien were going shot for shot in what felt like the true dawning of the NBA’s next chapter, all Anthony Edwards wanted was to bring Victor Wembanyama to the top of the key, look him straight in the eyes and tell him to check ball.
“I loved it. I wish we could’ve just moved everybody out of the way and just checked up and me versus him,” Edwards said.
Forget U.S. vs. the World. Forget a round-robin tournament or a player-led draft of the teams. What could be more tantalizing than Edwards and Wembanyama, two of the brightest young stars the league has to offer, going one-on-one at All-Star weekend with bragging rights as the ultimate prize?
That is what essentially unfolded Saturday night in San Antonio, when the two went at it down the stretch of Wembanyama’s Spurs’ 126-123 victory over Edwards’ Minnesota Timberwolves.
Wembanyama scored 39 points, went 4 for 9 from 3-point range and grabbed nine rebounds in 30 minutes. He scored 20 points, hit three 3s and went 7 for 8 from the free-throw line in San Antonio’s 48-point second quarter, looking as unstoppable as any 22-year-old could possibly look.
ALIEN STUFF
— San Antonio Spurs (@ spurs) January 18, 2026
Behind his other-worldly combination of size, shooting and smoothness, the Spurs raced out to a 25-point lead at halftime, taking advantage of a Timberwolves team on the second night of a back-to-back and without both starting center Rudy Gobert (hip contusion) and his replacement, Naz Reid, who only played five minutes before leaving with a left shoulder injury.
Just when the short-handed Wolves looked powerless to stop the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, Edwards, who had missed the previous two games because of an infection in his toe that had been bothersome for several weeks, came to the rescue. After coach Chris Finch lit the team up at halftime for its lack of intensity, Edwards told his teammates they had to regain some of their defensive edge, starting with himself.
“The first two possessions of the game, (De’Aaron) Fox blew by me for a layup,” Edwards said. “So just, we’ve got to be better defensively. And then Finch came in here and got on our ass and we responded.”
That doesn’t do justice to the onslaught that Edwards unleashed. He scored 39 of his career-high 55 points in the final two quarters, including 26 in the fourth.
The Wolves cut that deficit to 12 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but Edwards was just getting started. He went 5 for 7 from 3 in the final period, including a 25-footer that gave the Wolves a 113-110 lead with 2:58 to play.
HE IS UNCONSCIOUS. pic.twitter.com/Arz9cfBDEW
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@ Timberwolves) January 18, 2026
His teammates on the bench put their hands on their heads in disbelief as the shots kept falling. Donte DiVincenzo snapped out of a rough stretch that included missing seven of his first eight shots to hit two big 3s in the final two minutes and keep the Wolves alive.
It was Edwards’ third career 50-point game, tying Karl-Anthony Towns for most in franchise history. He went 19 for 33 from the field, including 9 for 16 from 3-point range.
“I’m not gonna lie. It’s fun,” Edwards said. “It put a smile on my face. People don’t understand. Getting 50 is hard. They’re gonna trap you, they’re gonna send two, they’re going to send three. You gotta make a lot of tough shots to get 50.”
Wembanyama stood tall in response. He made two free throws, hit a clutch jumper that gave the Spurs a 120-119 lead with under a minute to play and got a block on countryman Joan Beringer on the other end to help preserve the win for San Antonio (29-13).
“It’s an honor and it’s the best thing to have the best players go as hard as they can,” Wembanyama said. “First of all, it makes us better, it makes me better. And it’s a show of respect, of progress stepping up because now the standings make us that we are a respectable team.”
WEMBY RANGE
— San Antonio Spurs (@ spurs) January 18, 2026
The Spurs have been one of the biggest surprises in the league this season, surging to the second-best record in the conference much quicker than most expected. The success has put a 7-foot-4 target on their backs.
Just last week, the Timberwolves and Spurs went at it in a mid-January game that felt like it was being played in May. Minnesota rallied from 19 down to win that one at Target Center, and the Wolves knew they had to bring their best in the rematch in San Antonio.
“They got Wemby. He’s supposed to be the face of the league,” Edwards said. “I always gotta get up for that one.”
Edwards and Wembanyama are part of a small club of players stepping up to the top tier of the league as longtime headliners LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant enter their golden years as players. Edwards’ swagger and his role in leading the Wolves to back-to-back conference finals appearances have undoubtedly cast him as a face of the league at this point. He’ll have to contend for the singular title with Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić and whoever else comes along.
Edwards has made it clear several times that he has no interest in taking that nebulous title.
“Victor can have it,” Edwards said. “I feel like you gotta carry this … whatever it is … on your shoulders that people want you to be and I’m gonna be myself no matter what. I don’t want too much pressure.”
Edwards embraces the basketball pressure of it all. He wants the ball in his hands in the biggest of moments. Once a poor decision-maker and inefficient shooter in clutch situations, Edwards is shooting an inconceivable 72.3 percent in those situations in this, his sixth season, including 62 percent from deep.
“He was inspirational,” Finch said Saturday.
James and Curry aren’t just great players; they’re ambassadors, stewards of the game with demands on their time far beyond the court itself. Edwards is a trash-talking, profanity-hurling, fun-loving player who works extremely hard on his game, but would prefer not to be bothered by the push and pull of the league office. His power is his ability to be himself, to always have that smile and that unwavering confidence.
In only his third season, Wembanyama has all the makings of a true NBA statesman. He understands how fickle the mob can be and is already going above and beyond the conventional boundaries of stardom.
“Sometimes people are going to be angry at you. Sometimes people love,” Wembanyama said. “As long as you’re yourself and happy. We’re playing basketball. We got a great life.”
When asked if he would like to be at the top of the league’s marketing machine one day, Wembanyama did not answer directly. Instead, he admired Edwards for being true to himself.
“I think it’s a good thing to be guided in life in general. And for us, it’s a great thing to be grown in this,” Wembanyama said. “The good thing is to be yourself because if we want to last in this league, we can’t play a role for 15, 20 years. So at some point it’s like, if you think you’re a good person, just be yourself.”
For now, the matchups on the court between these two young cornerstones provide all the entertainment and intrigue anyone could ask for. The most exciting thing for both of them is they have plenty of help.
Jaden McDaniels had 23 points, five rebounds and five assists Saturday night, Julius Randle had 17 points, 10 rebounds and played terrific interior defense in the fourth quarter, and the rookie Beringer had 10 points, eight rebounds and was a team-high plus-9 in 23 minutes for the Timberwolves (27-16).
Fox had 25 points and 12 assists for the Spurs and Keldon Johnson scored 20 points, including a huge 3-pointer with 17 seconds left that iced the win.
SPLASH
— San Antonio Spurs (@ spurs) January 18, 2026
The one-on-one game that Edwards wants won’t come to fruition anytime soon. He and Wembanyama will have to settle for the occasional moment when they are matched up. Just last week, Edwards got past Wembanyama on his way to the rim for the game-winning bucket.
“I’m just mad that I can’t guard him because he’s 7-8,” Edwards said, only slightly exaggerating. “Most of the guys, I can switch on to them and guard them. But he’s fun to play against.”
He has already made it clear that he is on the hunt for his first dunk on Wembanyama. When he entered the league, Edwards was dubbed “The Poster Child” because of his knack for dunking on bigger players. Now he has his sights set on the biggest.
“I’m gonna try to catch him,” Edwards said. “For sure.”
Wembanyama had a simple reply: bring it on.
“(Edwards is) just trying to dunk on everybody, so I’m not an exception,” Wembanyama said. “And I’ll be up for the challenge, of course. If he’s got a good momentum, and if I’m just a little bit late, he might be not very forgiving, but it’s fine. I’ll try. Over the years, I will try to block him more than he does on me.”
Through these early battles, admiration grows. Edwards said he expected the Spurs to be one of the toughest outs in the playoffs, along with Oklahoma City and Denver. He has watched as Wembanyama has added muscle to his frame.
“I can see from a distance that he’s a worker,” Edwards said. “I can’t do nothing but respect that.”
There is no greater compliment in Edwards’ world than that one, but that doesn’t mean he is going to back down as Wemby ascends. When asked who would win in that hypothetical one-on-one game, he never hesitated.
“Me.”
By Jared Weiss and Jon Krawczynski, via The Athletic