By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-01-31 10:40:34
圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 在2025年11月20日星期四于圣安东尼奥霜冻银行中心对阵亚特兰大老鹰队比赛的第四节与前锋凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson)（3号）交谈。如果马刺队在周一能保住西部第二的位置——无论是通过战胜黄蜂和魔术队取得两连胜，还是通过取得一场胜利外加丹佛掘金队在周日输给俄克拉荷马城雷霆队——约翰逊和他的教练组就将执教2026年NBA全明星赛。
北卡罗来纳州夏洛特电 — 马刺队主教练米奇·约翰逊身高仅6英尺1英寸，比他的大多数球员都要矮。但这并不妨碍这位前斯坦福大学的控球后卫与他的弟子们心意相通。
“他很有亲和力，你很容易就能和他交谈，也很容易和他进行那些棘手的对话，”前锋朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 说道。“他很年轻，我们和他合作得很好。我们会为他赴汤蹈火，就像他也会为我们赴汤蹈火一样。”
尚帕尼和他的队友们正努力打破球队连续六年的季后赛荒，他们有足够多的动力去不断赢球。但周六在这座白雪皑皑的城市的光谱中心对阵夏洛特黄蜂队时，他们又多了一份与教练相关的额外激励。
周日晚上在霜冻银行中心迎战奥兰多魔术队时，情况同样如此。
现年39岁的约翰逊，如果马刺队能在周一前锁定西部第二的种子席位，或者在此之前就已锁定，他将成为2026年NBA全明星赛的主教练。
全明星赛的主教练通常来自在这项精英赛事前一周锁定分区最佳战绩的球队。俄克拉荷马城雷霆队目前排名西部第一，但他们的主帅马克·戴格诺特 (Mark Daigneault) 因去年已经执教过全明星队而没有资格。
马刺队的球员们希望能将约翰逊送往洛杉矶。
“这会是他在（作为主教练）的第一个完整赛季里的一项巨大荣誉，”前锋德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 说道。他指的是约翰逊在去年11月初名人堂教练格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 中风后，担任了上赛季大部分时间的代理主教练，并于今年五月正式接替其主教练职位。
“我们显然抱着赢球的心态，但这件事给了我们一点额外的动力，”瓦塞尔补充道。
尚帕尼表示，他很高兴马刺队在本周末对阵夏洛特黄蜂队以及主场迎战奥兰多魔术队的背靠背比赛中能有额外的奋斗目标。
在周六的比赛开始前，马刺队的战绩为32胜15负（胜率.681）。丹佛掘金队的战绩为33胜16负（胜率.673）。
马刺队可以通过击败黄蜂队和魔术队来锁定第二的位置，或者通过一场胜利外加掘金队在周日下午3点主场对阵雷霆队的比赛中失利来锁定。
“我们正努力争取尽可能多地获得这样的成就，因为何乐而不为呢？”尚帕尼在谈到帮助约翰逊获得全明星执教机会时说。“这是一种双赢。我们既是为自己，也是为他而战。”
约翰逊表示，参加全明星赛对他和他的教练组来说，将是一个创造终生难忘回忆的机会。
“当你从事这个行业时，情况就是这样：你必须做出巨大的牺牲，还有一些人们看不到的事情让这份工作变得异常艰难，但同时，你有时也能获得一些非常棒的福利、奖励、酷炫的时刻和经历，”他说道。“我认为（执教全明星）就是这样的经历。能与当时最顶尖的一群人共事，这显然是凤毛麟角的殊荣。无论你以何种身份参与其中，都是一次非常酷的体验。人们可以和家人、挚爱或任何他们想与之分享的人一起去。他们将拥有一些可能在余生中都值得珍藏、坚守和谈论的回忆。”
41岁的黄蜂队主教练查尔斯·李 (Charles Lee) 表示，看到像约翰逊这样“如此年轻的教练”取得成功，这非常“鼓舞人心”。
“米奇和他的团队在接替一位名人堂教练后所做的工作给我留下了深刻的印象，”李说道。
马刺队上一次有主教练执教全明星赛是在2016年，当时波波维奇率领西部明星队以196-173取胜。
2026年全明星赛是联盟历史上的第75届，定于2月15日在加州英格尔伍德的Intuit穹顶球馆举行。
底特律活塞队主教练JB·比克斯塔夫 (JB Bickerstaff) 已经获得了前往洛杉矶执教的席位，因为活塞队已经锁定了东部最佳战绩。
马刺队适应与黄蜂队的提前开赛
在上赛季经历了巴黎之行以及在洛杉矶悲剧性野火期间对阵湖人队等诸多后勤挑战后，马刺队已经能够很好地适应周六对阵黄蜂队比赛的开球时间变更。
由于一场大型冬季风暴于周六袭击北卡罗来纳州，而马刺队又定于周日下午3点在圣安东尼奥主场迎战奥兰多，NBA将周六比赛的开球时间从东部时间下午3点提前到了中午。
“是的，当你像我们这样频繁出行时，显然有时必须保持灵活，”马刺队主教练米奇·约翰逊说道。“我们现在看到整个联盟都有一些比赛被提前或取消。所以希望这次调整能让所有想来和需要来的人都能到达这里，并安全回家，也（允许）我们能够顺利离开，因为很显然我们明天还有比赛。”
马刺队前锋凯尔登·约翰逊表示，提前开赛就是要“随机应变”。
“我们对自己的赛程有心理准备，也知道我们必须继续团结一致，完成任务，”他说道。“时间变化不能成为任何表现的借口。我们必须上场搞定比赛，做我们该做的事，并作为一个团队去战斗。”
造访福克斯的家，体验“太棒了”
米奇·约翰逊表示，马刺队周四在休斯顿德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 的家中度过一天是“一次非常酷的体验”。
马刺队在周三晚上击败火箭队后进行了这次团队活动。他们在休斯顿过夜，于周五飞往夏洛特。
“毫不夸张地说，他的房子非常高级，球员们也玩得很开心，”米奇·约翰逊说。“所以那是很棒的一天，他能向我们的球队和球员们开放他的家和家人，这对他来说很酷，而且显然也非常慷慨。大家都玩得很尽兴。那真是美好的一天，天气也很好，算是个意外之喜。”
凯尔登·约翰逊说，马刺队在福克斯家有一次“太棒了”的经历。
“他和福克斯夫人向我们展示了极大的热情好客，”这位前锋说道。“这是一次绝妙的体验，我很高兴我们能去那里并体验这一切。”
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson talks to San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) during the first half of an NBA game at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson gives instructions from the bench as guard Stephon Castle waits to come into the game during the first half of an NBA game with the Washington Wizards in San Antonio, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. San Antonio beat Washington 119-94.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson talks with forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half of an NBA game with the Washington Wizards in San Antonio, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. San Antonio beat Washington 119-94.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson argues against a referee call against the Spurs during an NBA game against the Atlanta Hawks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson reacts to a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in San Antonio, Sunday, Jan. 25, 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：Spurs hope to secure All-Star coaching berth for Mitch Johnson
Spurs hope to secure All-Star coaching berth for Mitch Johnson
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson talks to forward Keldon Johnson (3) during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. If the Spurs hold the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference on Monday, either with a pair of wins against the Hornets and Magic or with a win and a Denver loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday, Mitch Johnson and his staff will coach at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Standing just 6-foot-1, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson is much shorter than most of his players. But that doesn’t mean the former Stanford point guard and his charges don’t see eye to eye.
“He’s personable. He’s easy to talk to, easy to have those hard conversations with,” forward Julian Champagnie said. “He’s a young guy, and we respond well to him . We’ll run through walls for him the same way he’d run through walls for us.”
Champagnie and his teammates have plenty of incentive to keep winning as they strive to break the franchise’s six-year playoff drought, but they had a little something extra for motivation involving their coach when they took the court against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday at the Spectrum Center in this snowy city.
The same will also be true when they face the Orlando Magic on Sunday night at the Frost Bank Center.
Johnson, 39, will become a 2026 NBA All-Star Game head coach if the Spurs are seeded second in the Western Conference by Monday, or if they clinch it before that date.
All-Star coaches usually come from the team that clinches the conference’s best record the week before the elite game. Oklahoma City is No. 1 in the West, but Mark Daigneault isn’t eligible after coaching one of last year’s All-Star teams.
The Spurs players hope to get Johnson to Los Angeles.
“That’d be a huge honor in his first full year (as head coach),” said forward Devin Vassell, referring to Johnson succeeding Gregg Popovich as head coach in May after serving most of last season as acting head coach after the Hall of Famer suffered a stroke in early November 2025.
“We obviously have a mindset to win, but this puts a little bit extra into it,” Vassell added.
Champagnie said he’s glad the Spurs have something extra to play for in their back-to-back set this weekend against Charlotte and at home versus the Orlando Magic.
The Spurs entered Saturday’s game with a 32-15 record (.681 winning percentage). Denver was 33-16 (.673).
The Spurs can clinch the No. 2 spot by beating the Hornets and the Magic, or with one win and a Denver loss in Sunday’s 3 p.m. home game against the Thunder.
“We are trying to get as many accomplishments like that as we can, just because why not?” Champagnie said of getting Johnson to the All-Star game. “It’s kind of a win-win. We do it for us, and we do it for him, too.”
Johnson said going to the All-Star Game would be a chance for him and his staff to create some lifelong memories.
“It’s just one of those deals where when you work in this business, there is some crazy amount of sacrifice and things people don’t see that make the job really hard, and then there’s also some really great benefits and bonuses and cool moments and experiences at times you get to have,” he said. “And I think that’s what it would be. It’s obviously rare air being among some of the best doing it at that time. And to be able to be a part of it in in whatever capacity you are is a really cool experience. And people have families or loved ones or whomever they’re out there with. They’ll have some memories to probably cherish and hold onto and discuss for the rest of their life.”
Hornets coach Charles Lee, 41, said it’s “inspiring” to see “such a young coach” like Johnson be successful.
“I’m really impressed with what Mitch has done, him and his staff taking over after a Hall of Fame coach,” Lee said.
The last time the Spurs had an All-Star game head coach was in 2016, when Popovich headed the West squad that claimed a 196-173 win.
The 2026 All-Star Game, the 75th in league history, is set for Feb. 15 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
Detroit coach JB Bickerstaff has already earned a head coaching spot in Los Angeles because the Piston have clinched the Eastern Conference’s best record.
Spurs adjust to early start vs. Hornets
The Spurs were well-suited to adjust to the change in the tip-off time for Saturday’s game against the Hornets after facing so many logistical challenges last season with their trip to Paris and playing against the Lakers in Los Angeles during the tragic wildfires.
With a major winter storm hitting North Carolina on Saturday and the Spurs scheduled to host Orlando at 3 p.m. Sunday in San Antonio, the NBA moved the start time for Saturday’s game from 3 p.m. Eastern to noon.
“Yeah, you got to obviously be flexible at times when you travel as much as we do,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “We’ve seen it now across the league where there’s been a few games moved up or canceled. So hopefully that’ll end up allowing everybody to get here that wants and needs to get here and get home safely, and (allow) us to get out because obviously we have a game tomorrow.”
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said the early start was all about “rolling with the punches.”
“We know what to expect with our schedule, and we know we got to continue to just come together and get it done,” he said. “The time change is not an excuse for any kind of performance. We got to come out here and take care of business and do what we do and play together.”
Visit to Fox home ‘amazing’
Mitch Johnson said the Spurs getting to spend the day at De’Aaron Fox’s home in Houston on Thursday was a “really cool experience.”
The Spurs made the field trip after beating the Rockets on Wednesday night. They stayed over in Houston on Thursday before flying to Charlotte on Friday.
“His house is high level to say the least, and the guys enjoyed each other,” Mitch Johnson said. “So it was a good day and it’s cool for him and very, obviously generous of him to open up his home and his family to our team and our guys and stuff. But everybody enjoyed themselves. It was a really good day and great weather, which was a bonus.”
Keldon Johnson said the Spurs had an “amazing” experience at Fox’s home.
“Him and Mrs. Fox, they showed us so much hospitality,” the forward said. “It was an amazing experience, and I’m glad we got to go over there and experience that.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News