By Michael C. Wright | ESPN, 2026-04-05 10:54:32
丹佛——在加时赛临近最后一分钟、丹佛掘金队领先圣安东尼奥马刺队两分之际，三届 NBA MVP 尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic) 运球杀入禁区，而维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 则压低重心摆出防守架势。
约基奇背身单打文班亚马，先是虚晃传球给克里斯蒂安·布劳恩 (Christian Braun)，随后迅速使出他标志性的“松博尔洗牌步 (Sombor Shuffle)”，顶着这位身高 7 英尺 5 英寸明星中锋的长臂，命中了一记 11 英尺的后撤步跳投。
文班亚马望向别处，显得有些目瞪口呆。这场周六的比赛充满了两位本赛季 NBA MVP 热门候选人之间你来我往、令人屏息的精彩对决。凭借约基奇全场最高的 40 分、13 次助攻、8 个篮板、3 次盖帽且零失误的表现，丹佛以 136-134 加时险胜，终结了圣安东尼奥的 11 连胜，并将自己的连胜纪录扩大到 8 场。
“我愿意花钱看这两支球队打球，”掘金队教练大卫·阿德尔曼 (David Adelman) 说道。
波尔球馆 (Ball Arena) 20,039 名座无虚席的观众显然也深有同感。他们见证了约基奇职业生涯第三次打出至少 40 分、10 次助攻和 3 次盖帽的数据。根据 ESPN Research 的统计，自 1973-74 赛季开始统计盖帽数据以来，只有德维恩·韦德 (Dwyane Wade) 取得此类表现的次数更多（5 次）。这也是约基奇职业生涯第七次单场砍下至少 30 分、10 次助攻且零失误。
约基奇在加时赛最后一分钟再次顶着文班亚马投进关键球，在比赛还剩 9.8 秒时抛投命中。
“他显然是那种能让你为任何细微错误或疏忽付出代价的催化剂，”马刺队教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 在谈到约基奇时表示，“他拥有所有的技巧、反制手段和技术来惩罚你。”
在客队更衣室旁双扇门后狭窄的走廊里，文班亚马靠在一把塑料椅子上，回味着他与约基奇的第七次正面交锋。目前在两人的对决中，约基奇以 5 胜 2 负占优。这位 22 岁的球星本场为圣安东尼奥砍下 34 分、18 个篮板、7 次助攻和 5 次盖帽。据 ESPN Research 统计，他成为了马刺队史首位连续三场比赛至少砍下 30 分和 15 个篮板的球员。
文班亚马也是自沙奎尔·奥尼尔 (Shaquille O’Neal) 在其 1999-2000 MVP 赛季以来，首位连续三场比赛至少得到 30 分、15 个篮板和 3 次盖帽的球员（奥尼尔曾连续四场达成此成就），并且在连续三场比赛中累计得到至少 100 分、50 个篮板、10 次助攻和 10 次盖帽。
“我认为这是一场不可思议的比赛，”文班亚马说，“非常有趣，是最有趣的比赛之一。我希望我们本能拿下胜利。今晚发生的一切对我们都有好处。这是一次真正的考验，对手是一支正在为目标而战的球队。这有点季后赛的氛围。他们拥有世界上最好的进攻球员，所以当你参加这类比赛时，你必须始终专注于防守。”
马刺队在比赛还剩 9 分 08 秒时曾以 107-96 领先，随后掘金队打出一波 17-8 的高潮，凭借约基奇的跳投在常规时间还剩 4 分 12 秒时将分差缩小到两分。文班亚马在还剩 1 分 39 秒时两罚全中，帮助圣安东尼奥重新获得 6 分的领先优势。
但在掘金队的下一次进攻中，卡梅隆·约翰逊 (Cameron Johnson) 接约基奇助攻命中三分，并造成德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 犯规。约翰逊随后加罚命中，在常规时间还剩 1 分 24 秒时将掘金追至仅差两分。阿隆·戈登 (Aaron Gordon) 在比赛还剩 6.2 秒时将比分追至 124-124 平，将比赛拖入加时。
在加时赛中，约基奇 4 投 3 中为掘金砍下 7 分，而文班亚马仅得到 2 分。但在出战赛季新高的 40 分钟时间里，文班亚马给约基奇留下了深刻的印象，而约基奇本就对这位全明星球员赞赏有加。
“我想我第一次和他交手时就告诉过你们，他会改变这个联盟，他会改变篮球，”约基奇说，“我仍然这么认为。而且我觉得他有机会成为有史以来最独特的篮球运动员。”
在本赛季的三次常规赛交锋中，马刺和掘金每场得分均超过 130 分。根据 ESPN Research 的数据，这是自 1983-84 赛季以来，首次有两支球队在单赛季的三场对决中均砍下至少 130 分。
有趣的是，圣安东尼奥和丹佛正是上一组达成此成就的球队。
所以，请系好安全带，期待 4 月 12 日两队在圣安东尼奥进行的赛季收官战吧。
“他们可能是过去十年篮球界最独特的两名球员，看看他们完成比赛的方式就知道了，”阿德尔曼在谈到约基奇和文班亚马时说道，“他们的技术特点与联盟中其他球员截然不同。两位了不起的球员。这是一场值得买票观看的比赛。”
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：Nikola Jokic outduels Wembanyama in 'amazing' OT thriller
Nikola Jokic outduels Wembanyama in ‘amazing’ OT thriller
DENVER – As seconds ticked away near the final minute of overtime with the Denver Nuggets leading the San Antonio Spurs by two points, three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic dribbled into the paint as Victor Wembanyama crouched into a defensive stance.
Jokic backed down Wembanyama and faked a pass to Christian Braun before quickly unleashing his patented “Sombor Shuffle” for an 11-foot step-back jumper over the outstretched hand of the 7-foot-5 star center.
Wembanyama looked away flabbergasted, punctuating a Saturday game bursting with back-and-forth, breathtaking plays from two of the top candidates for this season’s NBA MVP award. Powered by Jokic’s game-high 40 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds, three blocks and zero turnovers, Denver snapped San Antonio’s 11-game winning streak and extended its to run to eight straight victories with a 136-134 triumph in overtime.
“I would pay to watch these two teams play,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said.
Certainly, the sellout crowd of 20,039 at Ball Arena agreed after watching Jokic string together his third-career outing with at least 40 points, 10 assists and three blocks. Only Dwyane Wade has recorded more such games (5) since blocks were first tracked (1973-74), according to ESPN Research. It was also Jokic’s seventh career game with at least 30 points and 10 assists with zero turnovers.
Jokic nailed another big shot over Wembanyama in the last minute of overtime, knocking down a floater with 9.8 seconds remaining.
“He’s obviously the catalyst to make you pay for any subtle mistake or slippage,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said of Jokic. “He has all the tricks, the counters and the skills to make you pay.”
In a short, narrow hallway behind double doors next to the visiting locker room, Wembanyama leaned forward in a plastic chair to soak in the experience of his seventh head-to-head battle against Jokic, who is 5-2 in the matchup. The 22-year-old led San Antonio with 34 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks, becoming the first Spurs player to score at least 30 points with 15 rebounds in three consecutive outings, according to ESPN Research.
Wembanyama is also the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in his 1999-2000 MVP season to tally three consecutive games with at least 30 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks (O’Neal accomplished the feat in four straight contests) and rack up at least 100 points, 50 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 blocks over a three-game span.
“I think it was an amazing game,” Wembanyama said. “Very fun. One of the most fun games. I wish we could have closed it out. Everything that happened tonight is good for us. It was a real test against a team that’s playing for something right now. It had a little bit of playoff vibes. They’ve got the best offensive player in the world. So when you come into these games, you always have to be focused on defense.”
The Spurs led 107-96 with 9:08 left to play before the Nuggets’ 17-8 run, which was capped by Jokic’s jumper, pulled them within two points with 4:12 left in regulation. San Antonio regained a six-point advantage after Wembanyama nailed a pair of free throws with 1:39 remaining.
But on Denver’s next offensive possession, Cameron Johnson drained a 3-pointer off an assist from Jokic and was fouled by De’Aaron Fox. Johnson hit the ensuing free throw to pull the Nuggets within two points with 1:24 left in regulation. Aaron Gordon tied the score at 124-124 with 6.2 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
In the extra period, Jokic lit up the Spurs for seven points on 3-of-4 shooting, while Wembanyama scored just two points. But in playing a season-high 40 minutes, Wembanyama left a lasting impression on Jokic, who was already enamored with the All-Star.
“I think the first time I played against him, I told you guys he’s going to change the league. He’s going to change basketball,” Jokic said. “I still think that. And I think he has an opportunity, a chance to be the most unique basketball player to ever play the game.”
Through three regular-season matchups, the Spurs and Nuggets have each scored 130-plus points, the first time two teams have each reeled off at least 130 points in three games against each other in a season since 1983-84, according to ESPN Research.
Interestingly, San Antonio and Denver were the last teams to accomplish that feat.
So buckle up for the April 12 season finale between the teams in San Antonio.
“They’re probably the two most unique players in the last decade in basketball [with] the way they get things done,” Adelman said of Jokic and Wembanyama. “Their skill sets are so different than other guys in the league. Two amazing players. This is a game you buy a ticket to watch.”
By Michael C. Wright | ESPN, via ESPN