By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-04-09 14:19:03
2026年4月6日，星期一，在圣安东尼奥弗罗斯特银行中心进行的第二节比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) (1) 在与费城76人队前锋保罗·乔治 (Paul George) (8) 碰撞后捂住左侧身体。由于左肋骨挫伤，他在下半场缺阵。文班亚马需要在马刺队剩余的两场比赛中至少有一场出战20分钟，才有资格评选赛季末奖项，特别是最佳阵容和年度最佳防守球员。
维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 周三来到弗罗斯特银行中心时，显然已经准备好成为全场着装最考究的观众了。
这位全明星中锋身着名牌热身服在场边观战，看着他的队友们在没有他的情况下以112-101稳扎稳打地战胜波特兰。
如果文班亚马的目标是赢得职业生涯首个年度最佳防守球员（DPOY）奖项，或者入选职业生涯首次最佳阵容，亦或是保持在NBA最有价值球员（MVP）竞赛中的竞争力，那么本赛季他最多只能再穿一次便装坐在场边。
这要归功于2023-24赛季前实施的一项规则，该规则要求球员必须出战至少65场比赛，其名字才有资格出现在奖项选票上。
“我理解这项规则的精神，”马刺队主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 说道，“我理解其背后的初衷。但就像所有规则一样，执行起来总是很困难。”
常规赛还剩两场（周五对阵达拉斯开始），约翰逊在某种程度上有些束手束脚。
文班亚马在周一战胜费城的比赛中遭遇了左肋骨挫伤。
在2023年之前的NBA世界里，这可能意味着文班亚马的常规赛已经提前结束了。在季后赛排名已经确定的情况下，马刺队本会倾向于让文班在西部季后赛首场比赛前休息10天。
然而，就目前情况而言，马刺队和文班都有动力让他本周在结束前至少踏上球场一次。
“他的情况好转了不少，”约翰逊在周三的比赛前表示，“我不认为这是一个长期隐患，但显然，在目前的处境和情况下，我们会非常谨慎。”
私下里，球队官员对文班可能在周五回归表示乐观。如果不行，他将在周日常规赛收官战对阵丹佛的比赛中获得最后一次达到65场门槛的机会。
当文班重返赛场时，他必须打满至少20分钟，这场比赛才能计入他的总出场次数。
文班的一位队友对NBA的65场规定在圣安东尼奥造成的困境感到恼火。
2026年4月8日，星期三，在圣安东尼奥弗罗斯特银行中心对阵波特兰开拓者队的NBA比赛前，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋维克托·文班亚马在公布首发阵容时鼓掌。文班亚马因周一晚上对阵费城76人队时受伤而未能出战。
“我从一开始就不赞成65场规定，”老将前锋哈里森·巴恩斯 (Harrison Barnes) 说道，“假设一个人打了64场比赛，他们对球队的成功和联盟的成功做出了巨大贡献。仅仅因为差一场就不被认可，我认为这不公平。”
这项65场最低出勤率限制在NBA圈内被非正式地称为“科怀·伦纳德规则”或“乔尔·恩比德规则”，于2023-24赛季前推出，旨在阻止球队为了管理负荷而让健康的球员轮休。
本赛季，这一规则在很大程度上导致了投票者的最佳阵容选票陷入混乱。
至少文班还有很大机会达到65场的标准。而许多著名的NBA球星则无法做到。
洛杉矶湖人队的勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 保持的连续21次入选最佳阵容的NBA纪录将因该规则而中断。
明尼苏达的安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 如果不是因为65场门槛，几乎铁定会入选最佳阵容第一阵容。
前联盟MVP如金州的斯蒂芬·库里 (Stephen Curry)、密尔沃基的扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo) 和费城的乔尔·恩比德 (Joel Embiid) 同样失去了资格。
除非上诉成功，否则湖人队的卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic) 可能会成为历史上首位未能入选最佳阵容的联盟得分王。东契奇在赛季初期因陪产缺席了两场比赛，目前这些缺勤对他非常不利。
“我们现在在为球员必须打多少场比赛、一场比赛必须打多少分钟才能获得赛季奖项而斤斤计较，”巴恩斯说，“我不认为这符合每个人的最佳利益。”
巴恩斯认为，联盟的重点应该放在让球星在季后赛期间处于最健康的状态。
巴恩斯表示，如果球员为了不与奖项失之交臂而被迫带伤作战，这一任务会变得更加困难。
“归根结底，当每个人在季后赛都保持健康时，我们的联盟才是最棒的，”巴恩斯说，“这最终是联盟中每个人——球员、教练、管理层——都希望看到的。”
底特律的凯德·坎宁安 (Cade Cunningham) 是另一个入选最佳阵容第一阵容的稳健人选，他周三从肺部塌陷（气胸）中康复归来，但却徒劳无功。赛程仅剩两场，他在数学上最多只能打到64场。
上个月，坎宁安的案例促使国家篮球球员工会（NBPA）联合这位底特律球星的经纪人杰夫·施瓦茨（Jeff Schwartz）呼吁修改该规则。
2026年4月8日，星期三，在圣安东尼奥弗罗斯特银行中心，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋维克托·文班亚马对队友德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)（未在图中）在对阵波特兰开拓者队时投中的跳投做出反应。
在周三活塞队战胜密尔沃基的比赛中出场26分钟后，坎宁安对65场规定持更加细致的立场。
“我认为他们试图做的是让超级巨星上场，而不是为了休息而缺阵，因为球迷花了很多钱来看我们，”坎宁安在底特律告诉记者，“我非常尊重这一点。我知道球迷是来看我打球的，我想随时待命，在他们来的时候献上表演。从这个角度来看，我尊重这项规则，并认为它是一项好规则。”
在球员工会上个月发表声明后，NBA总裁亚当·萧华 (Adam Silver) 为该规则进行了辩护。
“它正在发挥作用，”萧华说，“我还没准备好因为某个球员感到不公平就说这项规则无效。”
本周在圣安东尼奥，萧华很可能会被证明是正确的。
或许最快在周五，文班就会脱掉他的名牌便装，套上他的马刺1号球衣，顾不得肋骨伤势，在场上硬撑20分钟——而这场比赛，除非他再次受伤，否则只会对球队的季后赛前景产生微乎其微的影响。
2025-26赛季NBA年度最佳防守球员的奖杯全看这20分钟了。
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：NBA's 65-game rule ties Spurs hands with Wembanyama's DPOY bid
NBA’s 65-game rule ties Spurs hands with Wembanyama’s DPOY bid
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) grabs his left side following a collision with Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) during the second quarter at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Monday, April 6, 2026. He sat out in the second half due to a left rib contusion. Wembanyama will need to play at least 20 minutes in one of the Spurs’ two remaining games in order to be eligible for postseason awards, in particular All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year recognition.
Victor Wembanyama arrived at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday prepared to be the best-dressed spectator in the place.
Decked out in a designer warm-up suit, the All-Star center watched from the sidelines as his teammates took care of a workmanlike 112-101 victory over Portland without him.
If Wembanyama aims to win his first Defensive Player of the Year award, or end up on his first All-NBA team or remain a contender in the NBA Most Valuable Player race, he can spend exactly one more night in street clothes this season.
That’s thanks to a rule implemented prior to the 2023-24 season requiring players to appear in at least 65 games in order for their names to appear on awards ballots.
“I understand the spirit of the rule,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “I understand the intention behind it. Like all rules, rules are hard.”
With two games remaining in the regular season beginning Friday against Dallas, Johnson’s hands are somewhat tied.
Wembanyama suffered a left rib contusion during Monday’s victory over Philadelphia.
In a pre-2023 NBA world, that might have been the end of Wembanyama’s regular season. With playoff seeding already wrapped up, the Spurs would have been tempted to allow Wembanyama rest for 10 days before Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs.
As it stands, however, the Spurs and Wembanyama are motivated to get him onto the floor at least once before the end of the week.
“He’s improved quite a bit,” Johnson said before Wednesday’s contest. “I don’t think it’s a long-term concern, but we’ll obviously be very cautious in the situation and circumstances we’re under.”
Privately, team officials have expressed optimism Wembanyama might return Friday. If not, he would have one more chance to reach the 65-game threshold in Sunday’s regular-season finale against Denver.
If and when Wembanyama returns to the floor, he must log at least 20 minutes of court time for the game to count toward his total.
At least one of Wembanyama’s teammates is irked at the conundrum the NBA’s 65-game rule has created in San Antonio.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama claps as the starting lineup is announced before an NBA game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in San Antonio. Wembanyama did not play because of an injury sustained Monday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I wasn’t in favor of the 65-game rule from the beginning,” veteran forward Harrison Barnes said. “Let’s say a guy plays 64 games and they contribute tremendously to a team’s success and the league’s success. To not be acknowledged for that, I don’t think it’s right.”
Known colloquially in NBA circles as either “The Kawhi Leonard Rule” or “The Joel Embiid Rule”, the 65-game minimum was instituted prior to the 2023-24 season to discourage teams from resting otherwise healthy players in order to manage workloads.
This season, it has mostly served to throw voters’ All-NBA ballots into chaos.
At least Wembanyama has a reasonable chance of reaching the 65-game mark. Many prominent NBA stars will not.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James is set to have his NBA record string of 21 consecutive All-NBA nods scuttled by the rule.
Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards would be a sure-fire first-team All-NBA selection were it not for the 65-game threshold.
Former league MVPs like Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid are likewise ineligible.
Barring a successful appeal, the Lakers’ Luka Doncic could become the first league scoring leader in history to fail to make an All-NBA team. Doncic missed a pair of games earlier in the season attending the birth of his child, which for now count against him.
“We’re splitting hairs about guys have to play this many games and this many minutes in a game just to try to get postseason awards,” Barnes said. “I don’t think it’s in the best interest of everyone.”
Barnes believes the league’s focus should be on stars being at their healthiest at playoff time.
That task can be more difficult if they are expected to play hurt lest they miss out on awards, Barnes said.
“At the end of the day, our league is at its best when everyone is healthy in the postseason,” Barnes said. “That’s ultimately what everybody in this league — players, coaches, front offices — would like.”
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, another lock for first team All-NBA, made it back from a collapsed lung Wednesday, but for naught. With two games left on the schedule, he can only mathematically make it to 64.
Last month, Cunningham’s case led the National Basketball Players Association — in conjunction with the Detroit star’s agent, Jeff Schwartz — to call for the rule to be amended.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama reacts to a jump shot made by San Antonio Spurs guard De’aaron Fox, not pictured, over the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
After playing 26 minutes in the Pistons’ win over Milwaukee on Wednesday, Cunningham took a more nuanced stance toward the 65-game rule.
"I think what they were trying to do was have superstars play and not sit out just to rest, because fans pay a lot of money to watch us,” Cunningham told reporters in Detroit. “I have a lot of respect for that. I know fans come to see me play, and I want to be available and give them a show whenever they come. In that way, I respect the rule and think it’s a good rule.”
In the wake of the NBPA’s statement last month, NBA commissioner Adam Silver defending the rule.
“It is working,” Silver said. “I’m not ready to say because there is a sense of unfairness for one player, that the rule doesn’t work.”
This week in San Antonio, Silver is likely to be proven correct.
Perhaps as soon as Wednesday, Wembanyama will slide out of his designer street clothes, pull on his No. 1 Spurs jersey, bruised ribs be darned, and gut out 20 minutes in a game that will only affect the team’s playoff chances if he reinjures himself.
The 2025-26 NBA Defensive Player of the Year trophy depends on it.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News