By Charlie Thaddeus | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2026-01-21 17:19:55
这场失利，确实有点火辣辣的疼。是的。葬送那么大的领先优势。还是在对手的主场，面对这样的对手。太伤了。毋庸置疑。我很想轻松地翻过这一页，展望下一场比赛，但天哪，我们可能得好好消化一下。因为这比赛输得简直不能再难看了。
到某个阶段，你不能再对这些问题视而不见了。赛季已经进行了这么久，一支球队的特质开始显现，而这支队伍令人不安的真相是，不稳定性仍然是其最鲜明的标签。这不是一个简单的问题，我们也有很多理由保持乐观。但我们很难忽视，在很长一段时间里，球队的努力、专注和执行力常常无法同时在线。
本赛季至今，马刺已经在手握两位数领先优势的情况下输掉了十二场比赛。十二场。这占了他们总失利场次的80%（包括那场其实不算数的NBA杯决赛）。我知道，现代NBA已经扭曲了我们对“安全领先”的认知，十分的领先优势可能转瞬即逝，但十二场这样的失利，开始让人感觉这暴露了更深层次的问题的症结所在。这感觉像是一支缺乏纪律的球队，一支依赖原始天赋去硬砸比赛，而不是依靠聪明的球员执行计划、高效地解决对手的球队。这种方式是不可持续的。它或许能让他们跌跌撞تباط地打出一个还算不错的常规赛，并时隔许久再次获得一个有趣的季后赛席位，但这只会让他们在季后赛速遭淘汰，而且场面很可能相当难堪。
我想，这就是为什么我感到害怕。
（好吧，“害怕”这个词用得不对。马刺的情况还不错。几乎从所有指标来看，他们的进程都超前了，我不想贬低这一点。我们都为这支球队超出预期、越级挑战的表现感到兴奋。这很有趣。我们玩得很开心，我发誓。我们不应该忘记这一点。总之，言归正传。）
我害怕这支球队在季后赛会遭遇什么。我们都能感觉到季后赛的临近，对吧？马刺很可能会继续经历起伏，但随着赛季接近尾声，强者脱颖而出，赛程中会充满更多像周一晚上对阵爵士那样的比赛。他们会面对实力较弱的对手时打得很努力，自己却绊倒自己，但最终还是赢多输少。我们会看得很开心。我们会看着小伙子们在球场中央敲打那个傻乎乎的战鼓，我们会为他们欢呼，并梦想着未来的蓝图。
他们会是一个高顺位的种子球队，可能是二号、三号或四号。届时，外界会有期望。像“黑马”和“竞争者”这样的词会满天飞。舆论会变得喧嚣，聚光灯会变得耀眼。季后赛首轮很快就会到来，对手可能会是像休斯顿、明尼苏达这样的球队，甚至可能是拥有一个焕然一新、休息充分的尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic) 的丹佛。那将是一支饥渴的球队，一支最近一直身处季后赛、深知那种战斗的滋味和要求的球队。他们看到马刺这样一支在打出多年来第一个像样赛季后，乘着一片赞誉之声昂首挺进季后赛的球队，他们会准备好大开杀戒。
马刺在这些比赛中不断犯下的小错误，他们明星球员的低效得分，三分球的起伏不定，以及第四节如同“见了车灯的鹿”一般的集体迷失，所有这些都将在最大的舞台上被暴露无遗。他们容易在身体对抗中被压制的倾向将成为一个问题。那种他们在很长一段时间里干脆放弃拼抢防守篮板的毛病？那会在每个夜晚都冒出来。这支球队将无法仅仅按下“天赋”按钮，然后就指望一切顺利。
我不是说这是一个无法解决的问题。当然可以解决。这其实才是我要说的重点。这个阵容很年轻，核心天赋高得离谱，还有时间将这些惨痛的教训转化为习惯。但我想说的是，这是一个需要尽快解决的问题。因为不稳定性是本赛季至今的决定性特征，而这个标签即将变得永久化。
这场失利本身没什么。它很刺痛，也很扫兴，但我们会挺过去的。输球不是关键，关键在于“怎么输的”。马刺正走在一根非常细的钢丝上，一边是拥有一个有趣、感觉良好的赛季，另一边则是一头撞上一个戛然而止的结局。天赋只能带你走这么远，坦白说，它已经做到了。但到某个节点，光有天赋就不够了。
马刺现在正接近这个节点。
关于输给休斯顿的更多想法
- 讲真的，我们周一晚上看到的那种均衡的进攻去哪儿了？对阵爵士时，一切都感觉很有目的性。马刺内外结合，冲击篮筐，让三分投射成为补充，而非主菜。维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 是进攻轴心，而不是甩锅的终点。球的转移带着目的，无球切入的球员得到了回报，进攻感觉均衡且可持续。然后昨晚，纸面上的结构还在，但平衡感消失了。马刺早早就严重依赖“疯狂扔三分”模式，并且在三分失灵后也从未真正做出调整。看着他们在第四节最后阶段一个接一个地打铁，就像看我三岁的孩子费力地“拉”一扇明确标着“推”的门一样。
- 我理解部分问题在于火箭确实是比爵士更好的球队。休斯顿能在身体上限制文班亚马，从而打乱马刺进攻的流畅性，迫使他们跳投，让球员远离篮筐，并且能做到像有意识地决定“区区一个朱利安·尚佩尼 (Julian Freakin’ Champagnie) 绝不能击败我们”这种事。然后他们还真的执行了这个计划。从根本上说，这些我都知道。但这并不能减轻我的挫败感。对手们一直在对马刺这么做，到了某个时候，马刺需要有应对之策。体育竞技就是这样。对手调整，你就要跟着调整。不断调整，不断见招拆招。攻防博弈，此消彼长。我到底错过了什么？
- 我就直说了，看着里德·谢泼德 (Reed Sheppard) 在比赛末段挺身而出，而我们这边所有人都集体哑火，真是给这杯“悲伤圣代”加上了一颗格外特别的樱桃。我个人层面不了解这个孩子，所以姑妄听之，但至少在篮球意义上，我不喜欢他。一点也不。如果我理论上正独自坐在一个黑暗的房间里，把我的敌人名字写在一个笔记本上，那么他的名字会占据一个显要位置。理论上说。
- 你有没有想过，在另一个平行宇宙里，马刺去年夏天交易来了凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant)？我没有。好吧，有时候会想。比如，如果坐在哈里森·巴恩斯 (Harrison Barnes) 位置上的是杜兰特呢？不。那……不行。太疯狂了。木已成舟。
赛后新闻发布会
– 昨天，你恳请文班亚马不要在全明星赛上受伤。随后他表示，他希望“推动这项运动的伟大球员们在全明星赛上像我一样努力比赛。我们拭目以待，但如果他们不认真打，我就自己一个人打。”对此有何回应？
– 他真是个好孩子。真的。我们应该为这种精神鼓掌，并称赞他，你知道的，用这种标准要求自己。
– 但是……
– 但是这很蠢。维克，别这么干。别。没人在乎。你不可能通过自己多卖力一点就让他们在乎。不是我过于愤世嫉俗，但这世道已经不是这么玩的了。我无法向你强调我有多么不在乎全明星赛是否重要。那是一个信息匮乏时代的遗物。人们之所以锁定1992年全明星赛，是因为他们当时没有任何《宿敌对决》(Heated Rivalry) 之类的节目可看。
– 你不认为这是他竞争心态的良好信号吗？是他渴望提升这项运动整体努力程度的表现？
– 不幸的是，我认为这可能实际上是他是个超级书呆子的迹象。恕我直言。
– 一个超级书呆子？
– 是的。我们所见过的最高、最大的书呆子之一。真的，叹为观止。
– 嗯，我认为大多数球迷似乎很喜欢他有这种感觉。
– 如果文班亚马在一场无关紧要的比赛中，在五个电视观众面前，为了封盖斯科蒂·巴恩斯 (Scottie Barnes) 的一次上篮而拉伤小腿，我会变卖所有家当，像珍·古道尔 (Jane Goodall) 那样去森林里和黑猩猩一起生活。
– 或许你无论如何都该那么做。
– 听着，这不是空洞的威胁。
由生成式 AI 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：The problem the Spurs need to fix soon
The problem the Spurs need to fix soon
It burns a little, this one. Yeah. To blow that lead. Against this opponent, in their building. It burns. No two ways about it. I’d love to breeze through this and move on to the next, but goodness. We’re probably going to have to sit with it for a minute. Because that was about as bad as it gets.
At some point, you can’t keep waving this stuff away. We’re far enough into the season now that a team’s identity starts to take shape, and the uncomfortable truth with this group is that inconsistency is still the defining trait. It’s not a simple problem, and there are plenty of reasons to stay encouraged. But it’s hard to ignore how often effort, focus, and execution fail to show up together for long stretches.
The Spurs have now lost twelve games this season in which they held a double digit lead. Twelve. That’s 80% of their losses (including the NBA Cup Finals that doesn’t actually count). I know the modern NBA has warped our sense of what actually constitutes a “safe lead,” and that a ten-point cushion can disappear in the blink of an eye, but twelve losses like that starts to feel endemic of a bigger problem. It feels like a team that lacks discipline. One that relies on raw talent to bludgeon its way through games instead of smart players executing a plan to efficiently put opponents away. It’s not sustainable. It might allow them to stumble their way through to a perfectly fine regular season and a fun playoff berth for the first time in a while, but it’s a recipe for a quick and likely embarrassing exit.
I think that’s why it scares me.
(Well, scared is the wrong word. The Spurs are fine. They’re ahead of schedule by almost every metric, and I don’t want to minimize that. We’re all having a blast watching this team exceed expectations and punch above their weight. It’s fun. We’re having fun, I swear. We shouldn’t lose sight of that. Anyway, back to losing sight of it.)
I’m scared of what’s going to happen to this team in the playoffs. We can all feel that coming, right? The Spurs will likely continue to have their ups and downs, but as the season draws to a close and the cream rises to the top, the schedule will be full of way more games like the one Monday night against the Jazz. They’ll play hard against inferior opponents, stumble over their feet, and ultimately pull out more wins than losses. We’ll have fun. We’ll watch the boys bang that silly drum in the middle of the court, and we’ll cheer and dream about what’s to come.
They’ll be a high seed, probably two, three, or four. There will be expectations. Words like “dark horse” and “contender” are going to get thrown around. The noise is going to get loud and the lights are going to get bright. That first round is going to be here before we know it, and it’s going to be a team like Houston or Minnesota or maybe even Denver with a fresh and rested Nikola Jokic. It’s going to be a team that’s hungry. One that’s been living in the playoffs recently and knows exactly what those battles feel like and what they require. They’re going to see a team like the Spurs swanning into the playoffs riding a wave of goodwill after their first decent season in forever, and they are going to be ready to hunt.
The little things the Spurs keep getting wrong in these games, the inefficient scoring from their star players, the three point volatility, and the deer in the headlights fourth quarters are all going to get exposed on the biggest stages. The tendency they have to get physically pushed around is going to be a problem. That thing where they just stop trying to secure defensive rebounds for long stretches? That’s going to rear its head every single night. This team is not going to be able to press the “talent” button and just hope it works out.
I’m not saying this is a problem that can’t be fixed. It can. That’s actually the whole point. This roster is young, the core is absurdly talented, and there’s still time for some of these hard lessons to turn into habits. But what I am saying is that it’s a problem that needs to be fixed soon. Because inconsistency has been the defining trait of this season so far, and it’s a label that’s about to become permanent.
This loss is whatever. It stings, and it’s a bummer, but we’ll get over it. The loss isn’t the thing. The “how” is. The Spurs are riding a very thin line between having a fun, feel good season and crashing headfirst into a very abrupt ending. Talent will only carry you so far, and frankly, it already has. At some point though, talent stops being enough.
The Spurs are getting close to that point now.
More thoughts on the Houston loss
- Genuinely, what happened to the well balanced offense we saw Monday night? Against the Jazz, everything felt intentional. The Spurs played inside out, put pressure on the rim, and let the three point shooting be a complement rather than the whole meal. Victor Wembanyama was the hub, not the bailout. The ball moved with purpose, cutters were rewarded, and the offense felt balanced and sustainable. Then last night, the structure was still there on paper, but the balance was gone. The Spurs leaned hard into “chuck it from three” mode early and never really adjusted once that stopped working. Watching them brick three after three down the stretch in the fourth felt like watching my three year old struggle to pull open a door that was very clearly marked Push.
- I understand that part of the problem is simply that the Rockets are a better team than the Jazz. Houston can physically defend Victor Wembanyama in a way that disrupts the easy flow of the offense, force jumpers, keep guys away from the rim, and do stuff like deciding, very consciously, that Julian Freakin’ Champagnie is not going to beat them. And then they actually execute that plan. Inherently, I know all of this. That doesn’t make it any less frustrating. Teams keep doing this to the Spurs, and at some point they need to have a plan for when it happens. That’s how sports works. Teams adjust and then you adjust. Adjust and adjust. Attack and counterattack. What am I missing here?
- Just putting it out there that watching Reed Sheppard come alive down the stretch while all of our dudes were wilting on the vine was an extra special cherry on this particular Sundae of Sadness. I don’t know anything about this kid on a personal level, so take this with a grain of salt, but at least in a basketball sense, I do not like him. Not one bit. If I were to theoretically be sitting alone in a dark room writing the names of my enemies down in a notebook, then he would be getting a prime spot. Theoretically.
- You ever think about the alternate universe where the Spurs traded for Kevin Durant last summer? I don’t. I mean, sometimes I do. Like, what if Kevin Durant were sitting there in the Harrison Barnes spot instead of Harrison Barnes? Naw. That…No. Crazy. What’s done is done.
Post Game Press Conference
– Yesterday, you implored Victor Wembanyama to not get hurt during the All-Star Game. He then went on to say that he wants “to push the great players of this sport to play in the All-Star Game just as hard as I will. We’ll see how it goes, but if they don’t play hard, I’ll do it without them.” Any response?
– He’s such a good kid. Truly. We should applaud this spirit and commend him for, you know, holding himself to this kind of standard.
– But…..
– But this is stupid. Vic, don’t do this. Don’t. No one cares. You can’t make them care by playing just a little bit harder. Not to be overly cynical, but that’s simply not how the world works anymore. I cannot stress to you enough how little I care about the All-Star Game mattering. It’s a relic from a time when there was less stuff going on. People were locked into the 1992 All-Star Game because they didn’t have any episodes of Heated Rivalry to watch.
– You don’t think this is a good sign of his competitive mindset? Of his desire to raise the overall effort level of the sport?
– Unfortunately, I think this might actually be a sign that he’s a huge nerd. Respectfully.
– A huge nerd?
– Yeah. One of the hugest, tallest nerds we’ve ever seen. Breathtaking, really.
– Well I think most fans seem to like that he feels this way.
– If Victor Wembanyama strains his calf trying to block a Scottie Barnes layup during a game that does not matter, in front of a television audience of five people, I am going to sell all my belongings and go live with chimpanzees in the forest like Jane Goodall.
– You should maybe do that anyway.
– Look, it’s not an idle threat.
By Charlie Thaddeus, via Pounding The Rock