By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-05-03 12:42:52
圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) (1) 在 2026 年 1 月 11 日周日于明尼阿波利斯举行的 NBA 比赛上半场传球，明尼苏达森林狼队中锋鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert) 进行防守。(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
首战取胜关键
利用爱德华兹缺阵的契机
森林狼首轮击败丹佛是一场惨胜，首发后场双人组均遭遇重伤。
神射手后卫唐特·迪文琴佐 (Donte DiVicenzo) 在对阵掘金的第四场比赛中遭遇跟腱断裂，将无法在季后赛中回归。这对明尼苏达来说是巨大的损失，因为迪文琴佐在常规赛中被证明是“马刺杀手”。
然而，安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 的缺阵对森林狼来说是更为严重的问题。
这位全明星后卫在首轮比赛中遭遇左膝骨挫伤，目前处于“每周观察”状态。爱德华兹预计不会参加在圣安东尼奥进行的前两场比赛，尽管森林狼队——或许是出于乐观——相信他能在系列赛的某个时间点回归。
爱德华兹在系列赛中的重要性不言而喻。这位 24 岁的超级巨星在常规赛与马刺的三次交手中场均轰下 36.7 分。
森林狼想要赢下系列赛的希望寄托在爱德华兹最终复出上。在回归之前，马刺需要尽可能多地赢下比赛。
掌控禁区与篮板
与首轮对阵波特兰时非常相似，马刺正面临一支依靠体型、内线得分和二次进攻得分生存的明尼苏达球队。
拥有身高 7 英尺 1 英寸的防守屏障鲁迪·戈贝尔坐镇中锋，以及强壮的朱利叶斯·兰德尔 (Julius Randle) 担任大前锋，森林狼非常喜欢利用体型优势压制对手。
这种体型优势不仅限于前场。身高 6 英尺 9 英寸的杰登·麦克丹尼尔斯 (Jaden McDaniels) 在小前锋位置上身材高大，可能会给马刺的后卫带来麻烦。
森林狼身高 6 英尺 9 英寸的替补中锋纳兹·里德 (Naz Reid) 几个赛季以来一直是马刺的眼中钉。
马刺将高度依赖 7 英尺 4 英寸的文班亚马和 7 英尺 1 英寸的替补卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet)，以防止森林狼在禁区和篮板球上予取予求。
尽管如此，这两名球员仍需要马刺后卫和侧翼球员的帮助来遏制森林狼。
除了文班亚马和科内特，马刺在首轮还有另外五名球员场均至少贡献 4 个篮板。这种集体冲抢篮板的意识在系列赛中至关重要。
破解戈贝尔的对位
戈贝尔刚刚打出了职业生涯最强的防守系列赛，在第一轮让三届 MVP 尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic) 看起来也并非不可战胜。
第二轮面对移动能力更强、运动天赋更出色的文班亚马，任务将有所不同。
森林狼有可能借鉴波特兰的策略，让戈贝尔去对位马刺后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle)，因为（理论上）卡斯尔在外线的威胁较小。开拓者在首轮就曾让身高 7 英尺 2 英寸的多诺万·克林根 (Donovan Clingan) 扮演这一角色，克林根选择放空卡斯尔，挑战他在外线投篮。
但这并没有奏效。
卡斯尔以 40.7% 的三分命中率（27 投 11 中）作为回应，考虑到他在第一场比赛开局仅 5 投 1 中，这个数据更加令人印象深刻。
如果卡斯尔能继续在外线保持威慑力，这可能会让森林狼陷入一种不习惯的境地：无法为这位 NBA 四届最佳防守球员找到一个明显的对位点。
- 杰夫·麦克唐纳 (Jeff McDonald)
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：Spurs vs. Timberwolves: Game 1 Keys to Victory
Spurs vs. Timberwolves: Game 1 Keys to Victory
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) passes as Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
GAME 1 KEYS TO VICTORY
Take advantage of Ant’s absence
The Timberwolves’ first-round victory over Denver was a Pyrrhic one, with both members of the starting backcourt going down with serious injuries.
Sharpshooting guard Donte DiVicenzo will not return to the playoffs after rupturing an Achilles tendon in Game 4 against the Nuggets. That’s a big enough loss for Minnesota, as DiVicenzo proved to be a Spurs killer in the regular season.
The absence of Anthony Edwards, however, poses an even more serious problem for the Wolves.
The All-Star guard suffered a bone bruise in his left knee during the first round, and is considered “week-to-week.” Edwards is not expected to play in either of the first two games in San Antonio, though the Wolves – perhaps optimistically – believe he can return at some point during the series.
Edwards’ importance in the series cannot be overstated. The 24-year-old superstar averaged 36.7 points in three meetings with the Spurs during the regular season.
Minnesota’s chances of stealing the series revolve around Edwards joining the fray eventually. The Spurs need to bank as many wins as possible until he comes back.
Own the paint, glass
Much like Portland in the first round, the Spurs are facing a Minnesota squad that thrives on size, interior scoring and second-chance points.
With 7-foot-1 defensive menace Rudy Gobert at center and the burly Julius Randle at power forward, the Timberwolves love to overwhelm teams with size.
That size advantage is not relegated to the frontcourt. At 6-foot-9, Jaden McDaniels is oversized for a small forward and could cause issues for the Spurs’ guards.
Naz Reid, the Wolves’ 6-9 backup center, has been a thorn in the Spurs’ side for several seasons.
The Spurs will rely heavily on the 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama and his 7-foot-1 backup, Luke Kornet, to keep the Timberwolves from having a field day in the paint and on the glass.
Still, those two will need help from the Spurs’ guards and wings to keep the Wolves at bay.
Aside from Wembanyana and Kornet, the Spurs had five other players average at least four rebounds per game in the first round. That gang rebounding mentality will be imperative in this series.
Figure out Gobert matchup
Gobert is coming off the defensive series of his life, having made three-time MVP Nikola Jokic look mortal in Round 1.
The task will be different in the second round against the more mobile and athletic Wembanyama.
There is a chance the Wolves take a page from Portland’s playbook and match Gobert with Spurs guard Stephon Castle, who (theoretically) is less of a threat from the perimeter. The Trail Blazers used the Donovan Clingan in this role in the opening round, with the 7-2 Clingan sagging off Castle and daring him to shoot from the outside.
It didn’t work.
Castle responded by hitting 40.7% of his 3-point tries (11-27), a number made more impressive by the fact that he started 1 for 5 in Game 1.
If Castle can continue to keep the Minnesota honest from the perimeter, it could put the Wolves in the unaccustomed position of not having an obvious matchup for the NBA’s four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
- Jeff McDonald
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News