By Dave McMenamin | ESPN, 2026-02-16 09:27:00
加利福尼亚州英格尔伍德——明尼苏达森林狼队后卫安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 将周日 NBA 全明星赛质量的提升归功于两个因素：赛制的改变以及维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 带来的冲击感。
爱德华兹斩获 MVP 级别的表现——全场 22 投 13 中砍下 32 分，外加 9 个篮板和 3 次助攻，险胜在主场球馆同样表现强劲的有力竞争者科怀·伦纳德 (Kawhi Leonard) ——这也对比赛的精彩程度大有裨益。
“**[文班亚马]**定下了基调，三支队伍之间的竞争绝对非常激烈，”爱德华兹说，“伙计，他定下了基调。这确实让我清醒了过来。”
联盟二月的篮球盛宴不再采用传统的东部联盟对阵西部联盟的阵容，而是将球员分为三组：群星队（Team Stars），由爱德华兹等美国本土年轻才俊组成；条纹队（Team Stripes），由美国本土老将组成；以及一支由全球球员组成的非美籍球员队（World Team）。
本次赛事不再设置四节比赛，而是采用了循环赛制，由这三支球队进行四场 12 分钟的比赛。
圣安东尼奥马刺队的这位大个子在第一场比赛中带领非美籍球员队得到 14 分、6 个篮板和 3 次盖帽——由于 NBA 新的转播合作伙伴 NBC 将此赛事作为冬奥会报道的先导节目，比赛于太平洋时间下午 2 点开球。而爱德华兹紧随其后拿到 13 分，包括记扳平比分、将比赛拖入加时的三分球。在加时赛中（率先得到 5 分的球队获胜），多伦多猛龙队前锋斯科蒂·巴恩斯 (Scottie Barnes) 投中绝杀三分，带领群星队以 37-35 取胜。
巴恩斯的三分球让文班亚马愤怒地冲回替补席，对他所在球队的防守执行力感到难以置信，这种反应就像他在常规赛中为马刺队效力时遭遇失利一样。
“这是我们热爱的比赛——也是我个人非常珍视的比赛——所以展现出竞争性是我至少能做的，”文班亚马说道。
第二场比赛同样焦灼，马刺队后卫达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 凭借一记最后一秒的三分球，帮助条纹队以 42-40 击败群星队。
而第三场比赛则属于伦纳德，这让在直觉穹顶球馆（Intuit Dome）观战的快船队球迷大呼过瘾。
这位洛杉矶快船队前锋在 12 分钟内 13 投 11 中（三分球 7 投 6 中）高效砍下 31 分，另有 3 个篮板和 2 次抢断，带领条纹队以 48-45 战胜非美籍球员队，尽管文班亚马在对方阵中也拿下了 19 分。
“这种感觉很棒；很高兴亚当·萧华 (Adam Silver) 让我参赛，”伦纳德说，他指的是 NBA 总裁将他作为伤病替代球员增补进比赛，“这就是主场观众想看到的。我很高兴能在这场比赛中有所表现。”
他的同行们也很高兴看到这一幕。
“我们当时看着……心里想，‘天哪，这家伙简直不可阻挡，’”巴恩斯在谈到伦纳德时说，“我们简直惊呆了。太震撼了。当一个球员进入这种状态时，那是很特别的。这就是人们想看到的。”
爱德华兹表示：“最后一场比赛我们出场时，我对**[伦纳德]**说，‘嘿，你得冷静点。’”
最终群星队与条纹队之间的决赛变成了一场大比分完胜，年轻的美国队员们以 47-21 获胜。
爱德华兹在决赛中 5 投 3 中得到 8 分，而伦纳德则 4 投 0 中，通过罚球 2 中 1 得到 1 分。
在媒体和球迷投票组成的评审团中，爱德华兹获得了 14 票中的 10 票，成功当选 MVP。
“我认为与上个赛季相比，在竞争性方面绝对有了巨大的飞跃，”休斯顿火箭队前锋凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant) 说道，“科怀表现出色。爱德华兹也很棒。我认为我们为球迷们做了该做的事。”
爱德华兹这位 24 岁的昔日状元秀，以其独特的个性而闻名，其名声几乎与他纯熟的球技不相上下。他说，比起在一天结束时击败条纹队，他更享受当天开赛时击败非美籍球员队的感觉。
为什么？
“因为他们说他们是世界上最棒的球员，”爱德华兹说，“所以击败他们是世界上最美妙的感觉。”
爱德华兹表示，他支持明年在菲尼克斯举行的全明星赛沿用这一赛制。
“我认为这促使我们去竞争，因为每场只有 12 分钟，而且三支不同的球队将大家分开了，”爱德华兹说，“我觉得这真的非常好。”
伦纳德表示，既然球员们已经证明了他们可以为比赛投入更多专注力，那么回到传统的组队方式也是可以接受的。
“我仍然认为回到东西部对抗会很棒——我认为大家依然会去竞争，”伦纳德说，“但只要是能吸引消费者注意力的，我都会支持。”
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：Team Stars prevails in competitive debut for new All-Star Game
Team Stars prevails in competitive debut for new All-Star Game
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards credited two factors for the improved NBA All-Star Game on Sunday: the format’s change and Victor Wembanyama’s charge.
Edwards’ MVP performance – 32 points on 13-for-22 shooting with nine rebounds and three assists to edge Kawhi Leonard, who had a strong bid for the award in his home arena – didn’t hurt either.
“[Wembanyama] set the tone, and it was definitely competitive with all three teams,” Edwards said. “He set the tone, man. And it woke me up, for sure.”
Rather than the traditional Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference rosters for the league’s February festivities, players were split into three groups: Team Stars, comprising young American standouts, such as Edwards; Team Stripes, composed of veteran American talent; and a World team, filled with players from around the globe.
Rather than four quarters, the event featured a round-robin tournament with four 12-minute games involving the three teams.
The San Antonio Spurs’ big man led the World team with 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks in the first game – a 2 p.m. PT tipoff because the NBA’s new broadcast partner, NBC, slotted it as a lead-in to Winter Olympics coverage – and Edwards kept pace with 13 points, including a tying 3 to force overtime. In the extra session – which ended with the first team to score five points — Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes hit a winning 3-pointer to lift Team Stars to a 37-35 win.
Barnes’ 3 caused Wembanyama to storm back to the bench in disbelief at his team’s failed defensive execution, the same way he would if it were his Spurs who faltered in the regular season.
“It’s a game we love – it’s a game I personally cherish – so being competitive is the least I can do,” Wembanyama said.
The second game was also tight, with Team Stripes beating Team Stars on a last-second 3 by Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox to win 42-40.
And the third game belonged to Leonard, much to the delight of the Clippers fans in attendance at the Intuit Dome.
The LA Clippers forward scored 31 points on 11-for-13 shooting (6-for-7 from 3) with three rebounds and two steals in 12 minutes to lead Team Stripes to a 48-45 win over Team World despite 19 points from Wembanyama.
“It was great; happy that Adam [Silver] let me in,” Leonard said, referring to the NBA commissioner adding him to the game as an injury replacement. “That’s what the home crowd wanted to see. I’m glad I was able to do something in that game.”
His peers were glad to see it, too.
“We were watching it … like, ‘Damn, this guy is killing,’” Barnes said of Leonard. “We were just like in awe. In shock, too. When a guy has it going like that, it’s special. That’s what the people want to see.”
Said Edwards: “I told [Leonard] when we walked out for the last game, I said, ‘Hey, you need to chill out.’”
The final game between Team Stars and Team Stripes was a blowout, with the young Americans winning 47-21.
Edwards had eight points on 3-for-5 shooting in the finale, and Leonard had one point on 0-for-4 shooting, going 1-for-2 from the free throw line.
Edwards went on to receive 10 of the 14 votes for MVP from a panel of media and fan polling.
“I think it was definitely a step up in the competitive department compared to last season,” Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant said. “Kawhi was great. Ant was great. I think we did what we’re supposed to do for the fans.”
Edwards, a 24-year-old former No. 1 pick known for his personality nearly as much as for his polished game, said he relished beating the World team to start the day more than he did beating Team Stripes to end it.
Why?
“Because they say they’re the best players in the world,” Edwards said. “So beating them is the best feeling in the world.”
Edwards said he would support using the same format for next year’s All-Star Game in Phoenix.
“I think it makes us compete because it’s only 12-minute [games], and the three different teams separate the guys,” Edwards said. “I think it was really good.”
Leonard said that now that the players proved they can bring more focus to the game, it would be OK to go back to the traditional teams.
“I still think going back to East-West will be great – I think guys will compete still,” Leonard said. “But it’s like, whatever grabs the attention of the consumer, I’m for it.”
By Dave McMenamin | ESPN, via ESPN