By August Bembel | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2026-02-20 16:54:11
全明星周末过得如何？一如既往，我一场没看。我唯一真正看到的，是贾克森·海斯 (Jaxson Hayes) 在扣篮大赛期间完成的一次实战扣篮。诚然，我挺喜欢这个瞬间在网上疯传的样子。从某种程度上说，它揭示了全明星周末的肤浅本质：一场营销活动。
每个全明星周末我其实只有一个心愿：如果有任何马刺球员参加——或者更准确地说，不得不参加——请让他无伤回归。另一方面，我也挺喜欢全明星假期的。因为在整整一周没看球之后，我会渴望再次看到真正的篮球比赛。
废话不多说，让我们进入昨晚马刺击败菲尼克斯太阳队的比赛总结：
关键要点
- 一年半以前，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 在一届被许多人贴上“角色球员选秀”标签、且被认为缺乏顶级或二档新秀的选秀中，以第四顺位被选中。18个月后，他正成为一支胜场数两倍于负场数的球队基石。
- 这是维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 的球队——这一点毫无疑问。但卡斯尔给人的感觉越来越像这台机器的引擎。他运球重心低且控制稳健；他的决策能力不断提高，以至于目前他在持球时，我对他比对文班和达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 还要信任；而在防守端，他也始终保持专注。
- 第一节中段的一个回合完美展现了卡斯尔的全面性：他在弧顶发动进攻，冲向身高7英尺1英寸的马克·威廉姆斯 (Mark Williams) 的防守范围，连续三次虚晃后起跳，在对手头顶完成得分。几秒钟后，他在中场就开始领防德文·布克 (Devin Booker) 并完成了出色的防守。在同一个回合周期内，他从熟练地冲击进攻点切换到了熟练地防守进攻点。
- 是的，他依然有缺点。有时三分投不进，有时失误会堆积。虽然昨晚这两点都不是问题，但他确实领到了五次犯规。令人欣慰的部分是？这些都是球员通常能够改进的领域。现在的卡斯尔已经非常优秀了，而他的成长轨迹才真正令人兴奋。我的意思是：请让他从未来很可能会参加的所有全明星赛中健康归来。
- 马刺队拥有联盟中较好的第二阵容：凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 的表现中规中矩，但他本赛季整体表现出色，昨晚也不需要强行发力。与此同时，卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 可能是每位主教练梦寐以求的替补中锋：保护禁区、完成扫荡、二次进攻得分、不犯错。他完美地体现了这一角色——甚至还展现了一手灵巧的传球。
- 不过，第二阵容的明星是迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper)。总有一天——而且这一天不会太远——让他替补出战会让人觉得“不公平”。这种不公平，就像当年马努·吉诺比利 (Manu Ginóbili) 替补登场时给对手的感觉一样：比赛并没有变得轻松，反而变得更难了。
- 哈珀已经产生了这种效果。阵容中没有人能比得上他的突破能力——甚至连福克斯也不行。哈珀冲击禁区的样子有时看起来像一名在高山滑雪旗门间穿梭的运动员（是的，我最近一直在看冬季运动）——他变向时的轻盈感简直是一种美学。
- 哈珀的三分球？虽不那么美观，但也算不上难看。出手点依然低得令人担忧，但在我看来，除此之外的投篮机制还算可以。而且他出手速度并不慢。
- 关于哈珀的问题是：什么时候会到那种无法再让他待在替补席上的程度？马刺拥有福克斯是一件好事。福克斯愿意在首发阵容中不担任绝对的主要持球手，这一点值得称赞——就像他在需要时随时能切换到第一核心模式的能力一样。尽管如此，在福克斯的下一份合同期间，哈珀不会一直是一名替补球员。
- 正如前文所提，我对全明星赛唯一的关注点就是马刺球员能无伤回归——福克斯做到了，文班也做到了。坦率地说，在狄龙·布鲁克斯 (Dillon Brooks) 最近发表了关于他防守文班的那些言论后，昨晚比赛最棒的一点也许是布鲁克斯因为禁赛而缺阵。我一点也不想念他。相反，在马刺迈向2019年以来首次季后赛（马刺加油！！！）的征程中，我欣赏了一场充满只有文班才能贡献的高光时刻的比赛。
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：What we learned from the Spurs win over the Suns
What we learned from the Spurs win over the Suns
How was the All-Star Weekend? As per always, I watched none of it. The only thing I really saw was an in-game dunk by Jaxson Hayes during the Slam Dunk Contest. Admittedly, I kind of loved that this was the moment that went viral. In a way, it exposed the shallowness of what the All-Star Weekend is: a marketing event.
There’s really only one thing I hope for each All-Star Weekend: If any Spur takes part — or rather, has to take part — please let him return uninjured. On the other hand, I kinda like the All-Star break. Because after a full week without watching basketball, I’m hungry to watch some real basketball again.
So without further ado, let’s get into the Spurs’ win over the Phoenix Suns last night:
Takeawaways
- One and a half years ago, Stephon Castle was the fourth pick in what many labeled a role-player draft, supposedly void of tier-one or tier-two prospects. Eighteen months later, he’s becoming the bedrock of a team that wins more than twice as many games as it loses.
- This is Victor Wembanyama’s team – there’s no doubt about that. But Castle increasingly feels like its engine. He brings the ball up with that low, controlled dribble; his decision-making keeps improving to the point where I currently trust him more than both Wemby and Fox with the ball; and defensively, he’s constantly engaged.
- One sequence in the middle of the first quarter captured the full Castle experience: He attacked from the top of the key into the waiting arms of 7’1” Mark Williams, upfaked three times, rose up, and scored over him. Seconds later, he picked up Devin Booker at half court and defended him well. He went from expertly running the point of attack to expertly defending it — within the same possession cycle.
- Yes, he’s still flawed. Sometimes the three isn’t falling. Sometimes the turnovers pile up. Neither was an issue last night, but he did pick up five fouls. The encouraging part? These are areas players typically improve in. Present-day Castle is already very good. The trajectory is what makes it exciting. And by that I also mean: Please let him return from all the future All-Star Games he probably will take part in.
- The Spurs have one of the better second units in the league: Keldon Johnson had an unremarkable game, but he’s having an excellent season overall and didn’t need to force anything last night. Meanwhile, Luke Kornet might be every head coach’s dream backup center: protect the paint, clean up, convert putbacks, avoid mistakes. He embodies that role perfectly – and he even has a clever pass in him.
- The star of the second unit, though, was Dylan Harper. There will come a point – and it won’t be far off – when it feels unfair that he’s coming off the bench. Unfair in the way it once felt unfair for opponents when Manu Ginóbili came off the bench: things didn’t get easier; they got harder.
- Harper already has that effect. No one on the roster can match his driving game – not even De’Aaron Fox. Harper attacking the lane sometimes looks like a slalom skier carving through gates (yes, I’ve been watching winter sports lately) – the ease with which he changes direction is a thing of beauty.
- Harper’s three-point shot? Not quite as beautiful, but not completely ugly either. The release point is still worryingly low, but otherwise the mechanics look okay to me. And it doesn’t take him too long to get his shot off.
- The question about Harper is this: When will the point come at which he can no longer be kept on the bench? It’s a good thing the Spurs have De’Aaron Fox. His willingness not to be the clear-cut primary ballhandler in the starting five deserves praise — just as much as his ability to slide into the number-one option role when needed. Still, Harper won’t be a bench player for the duration of Fox’s next contract.
- As mentioned, the only skin I have in the All-Star Game is that Spurs players return uninjured – Fox did, Wemby did. And frankly, after what Dillon Brooks recently had to say about him defending Wemby, maybe the best thing about last night’s game was that Brooks was out, suspended. I didn’t miss him. Instead, on the way to the Spurs first playoff participation since 2019 (GSG!!!), I enjoyed a game with highlights that only Wemby can produce.
By August Bembel, via Pounding The Rock