By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-02-09 14:04:40
2026年1月25日，周日，在圣安东尼奥举行的一场 NBA 常规赛下半场中，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) (2) 在对阵新奥尔良鹈鹕队前锋蔡恩·威廉森 (Zion Williamson) (1) 得分并造成犯规后做出反应。(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
洛杉矶——新秀赛季已经过去了四个月，马刺队后卫迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 终于搞清楚了 NBA 是怎么一回事。
没错，比赛节奏在他眼中开始变慢了。没错，他已经克服了最初与世界上最顶尖球员同场竞技时的那种震撼感。
但最重要的是，哈珀终于学会了如何收拾行李箱。
“一点一点地，”19岁的哈珀说道，“我正在成长。”
哈珀新掌握的塞行李技巧在此时显得尤为重要，因为球队即将开启本赛季最长的一次客场征途。
现在是圣安东尼奥畜牧展与牛仔竞技会（San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo）时间，这意味着马刺队将连续第 24 个二月——时间比哈珀的球龄还要长——被迫腾出弗罗斯特银行中心（Frost Bank Center），开始长期的客场之旅。
周六以 138-125 击败达拉斯独行侠的比赛，标志着马刺队在 3 月 5 日之前在自家主场的最后一次亮相。
在此期间，马刺队将在圣安东尼奥以外进行九场比赛，其中包括在奥斯汀的两场。
马刺队主帅米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 表示，球队期待这一挑战。
“一旦你在这里待了几年，‘牛仔竞技之旅’就是你预料之中的事情，”约翰逊说道，“我认为客场作战通常能让你学会什么是真正的客场。要在客场赢球，通常需要不同层级的细节处理和执行力。”
今年的旅程始于本周二对阵洛杉矶湖人队和周三对阵金州勇士队的背靠背比赛，随后将进入 2 月 12 日至 17 日的全明星周末。
假期归来后，马刺队将在德克萨斯大学的穆迪中心（Moody Center）进行两场指定的“主场”比赛（2 月 19 日对阵菲尼克斯太阳，2 月 21 日对阵萨克拉门托国王），最后以一波东部客场收尾：先后对阵底特律活塞、多伦多猛龙、布鲁克林篮网、纽约尼克斯和费城 76 人。
这份赛程表比起往年稍显轻松。例如上赛季的旅程中，马刺曾连续在弗罗斯特银行中心之外进行 12 场比赛。
“虽然有点不同，但归根结底我们的条件是最好的，”全明星中锋维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 说道，“我们住最好的酒店，吃最好的食物。其他人的处境比这糟得多。”
曾几何时，马刺队曾是牛仔竞技之旅的主宰。从 2003 年开始的前 12 次征途中，他们每年的胜率都达到或超过了 50%。
然而自 2018-19 赛季以来，马刺在牛仔竞技之旅中的战绩仅为 15 负 42 胜，其中包括上赛季在奥斯汀与太阳和活塞平分秋色的两场比赛。
自 2016-17 赛季以来，马刺还未曾在牛仔竞技之旅中取得过胜多负少的战绩。
在今年征程开启之时，马刺的战绩为 36 胜 16 负，位居西部第二。这也是自前述的 2016-17 赛季（当时在全明星赛前拿到了 43 胜）以来，他们在全明星周末前取得的最多胜场。
“这是你开始看到强队真正拉开差距的时候，”后卫德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 说道，“我们不想成为那种因为惦记着放假，而在全明星赛前遭遇四五连败的球队。”
一个多星期以来，约翰逊一直在叮嘱球队要咬牙坚持打完上半赛季，不要因为假期将至而松懈。
“我们正处于那个阶段，无论你是身上有小伤小病，还是知道假期就在眼前，你可能会稍微松开油门，”约翰逊说道，“你必须对抗人类的天性。”
从 1 月 28 日客场对阵休斯顿的比赛开始，约翰逊和马刺教练组将剩下的八场比赛设定为一个他们想要赢下的“微型赛季”。
到目前为止，马刺取得了 5 胜 1 负的战绩，距离全明星周末还有两场比赛。
他们前往洛杉矶和旧金山，目标是强势收官。届时湖人队可能缺少卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic)，而勇士队则可能因伤缺少斯蒂芬·库里 (Stephen Curry)。
“这关乎心态，我们知道假期快到了，但我们不能松懈，”斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 说道，“接下来的两场比赛是我们赛程中非常重要的比赛。”
周三与金州勇士队的比赛结束后，没有入选全明星活动的球员可以选择回家休整一段时间。
而那些身负全明星重任的人——文班亚马、哈珀、斯蒂芬·卡斯尔和卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant)，加上约翰逊及整个教练组——将留在西海岸度过假期，并为此准备好了全部行囊。
这将是检验哈珀这位新秀成长成果的时刻。
本赛季早些时候在波特兰时，哈珀曾被迫紧急前往耐克零售店购物，因为他没有为那次为期九晚的客场之旅带够衣服。
“赛季初，我总是走一步看一步，”哈珀说道。
现在，他像经验丰富的老将一样未雨绸缪。
“我是这么打算的，”哈珀在详细列出他的打包计划前说道。
他将为一个袋子装好马刺在加州最后两场比赛的行李，以及足以支撑他度过全明星周末的服装。
哈珀会将另一个行李袋留在马刺队在圣安东尼奥的训练馆，届时将由工作人员快递到奥斯汀，以备旅程后半段之需。
然而，正如每一位久经沙场的 NBA 球员所知，当第一方案受阻时，备选方案（Plan B）必不可少。
哈珀也考虑到了这一点。如果衣服还是不够穿，哈珀指出，这次行程中有五个晚上会在纽约度过，那里离他位于新泽西的家仅一河（哈德逊河）之遥。
“我就在桥对面，”哈珀说，“如果需要，我可以让人给我送衣服过来。”
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) drives to the basket over New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) battle San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) and guard Dylan Harper (2) for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant, San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) and San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) reach for a loose ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Houston, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) drives to the basket against Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) and center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper, right, drives to the basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper, right, drives to the basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) defends against Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Houston, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) controls the ball against Houston Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Houston, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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：The Spurs have one major goal at the start of their rodeo trip
The Spurs have one major goal at the start of their rodeo trip
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) reacts after he was fouled while scoring against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
LOS ANGELES – It has taken four months into his rookie season, but Spurs guard Dylan Harper finally has this whole NBA thing figured out.
Yes, the game is slowing down for him. Yes, he’s gotten over the initial shock and awe of sharing the floor with the best players in the world.
Mostly, however, Harper has finally learned how to pack a suitcase.
“Little by little,” the 19-year-old Harper said. “I’m growing up.”
Harper’s newfound skills at stuffing his luggage could come in especially handy as the team embarks on its longest road swing of the season.
It is San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo time, which means for the 24th February in a row — longer than Harper has been alive — the Spurs will be forced to vacate the Frost Bank Center for an extended period.
Saturday’s 138-125 victory over Dallas marked the Spurs’ final appearance in their home arena until March 5.
In the interim, the Spurs play nine games outside of San Antonio, including two in Austin.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said the team is looking forward to the challenge.
“Once you’ve been here a few years, the rodeo (trip) is something you expect,” Johnson said. “I think the road in general allows you to learn what the road is. It’s a different type of level of detail and execution to win on the road, typically.”
This year’s trip begins with a back-to-back Tuesday at the Los Angeles Lakers and Wednesday at Golden State, leading into the Feb. 12-17 All-Star break.
The Spurs return from the hiatus for a pair of designated home games at the University of Texas’ Moody Center (Feb. 19 against Phoenix and Feb. 21 against Sacramento) before finishing with an Eastern Conference closing kick: at Detroit, at Toronto, at Brooklyn, at New York and at Philadelphia.
The itinerary is less demanding than in years past. Last season’s trip, for instance, featured 12 consecutive games away from the Frost Bank Center.
“It is a little different, but ultimately we’re in the best conditions,” All-Star center Victor Wembanyama said. “We’re in the best hotels. We get the best food. People have worse problems.”
Once upon a time, the Spurs used to own the rodeo road trip, posting .500-or-better records in each of the first 12 treks beginning in 2003.
Since 2018-19, the Spurs are 15-42 in rodeo trip games, including the pair they split last season in Austin against Phoenix and Detroit.
The Spurs have not posted a winning rodeo trip since 2016-17.
At the outset of this year’s journey, the Spurs are 36-16, in second place in the Western Conference and with their most victories at the All-Star break since the aforementioned 2016-17 club rang up 43.
“This is where you start to see teams really separate themselves,” guard De’Aaron Fox said. “We didn’t want to be one of those teams that go into All-Star break on a four- or five-game losing streak because we were looking ahead to the break.”
For more than a week now, Johnson has been talking to the team about continuing to play through the tape of the first half of the season, and not let up because a vacation is on tap.
“We’re at that spot, whether you’ve got bumps and bruises or you know there’s a break coming up and you take your foot off the gas a little bit,” Johnson said. “You’ve got to fight human nature.”
Beginning with a Jan. 28 game at Houston, Johnson and the Spurs’ coaches framed the eight contests remaining as a sort of mini-season the team wanted to win.
The Spurs are 5-1 so far, with two games to go until the All-Star break.
They head to Los Angeles and San Francisco aiming to finish strong against a Lakers team that could be without Luka Doncic and a Warriors squad likely down Stephen Curry due to injuries.
“It’s just having that mindset to where we know we have this break coming up, but we can’t let our foot off the gas,” Castle said. “The next two games are big games on our schedule.”
After Wednesday’s game at Golden State, players not involved in All-Star festivities in Los Angeles will have the option of coming home for a spell.
Those bearing All-Star duties –Wembanyama, Harper, Stephon Castle and Carter Bryant, plus Johnson and the entire coaching staff — will stay on the west coast through the break and pack for the entire shebang.
This is where Harper’s rookie growth will be tested.
Earlier this season in Portland, Harper was forced to make an emergency shopping trip to the Nike store because he didn’t pack enough clothes for a nine-night road trip.
“Earlier this season, I was taking it day by day,” Harper said.
He’s thinking ahead like a seasoned vet now.
“Here’s what I’m going to do,” Harper said, before laying out his packing game plan.
He will pack one bag for the Spurs’ final two games in California, with sufficient outfits to last through his time at All-Star weekend.
Harper will leave another bag at the team’s practice facility in San Antonio, which a staffer will courier to Austin for the second half of the trip.
As every tried and tested NBA players knows, however, it helps to have a Plan B when the first option is stymied.
Harper is on top of that, too. If he still comes up sartorially short, Harper notes that five nights of the trek will be spent in New York, just across the Hudson River from his home in New Jersey.
“I’m right across the bridge,” Harper said. “I can have somebody bring me clothes if I need them.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News