By Jared Weiss, Jon Krawczynski and Emily Ohman | The Athletic, 2026-05-05 04:43:05
从跳球那一刻起——当两位巨人鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert) 和维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 在中圈对峙时——就很明显，明尼苏达森林狼与圣安东尼奥马刺之间这场西部半决赛的每一分都将是硬仗。周一晚上在弗罗斯特银行中心球馆进行的系列赛首战便是如此，森林狼以 104-102 险胜。
安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 重返森林狼阵容——这是他自4月25日以来的首场比赛。作为替补出战的他砍下18分，带领球队打出均衡进攻，帮助这支6号种子球队“下克上”击败了排名第2的马刺。
森林狼共有六人得分上双，以此顶住了文班亚马的历史级表现。文班本场送出12次盖帽，创下了自1973-74赛季盖帽成为正式统计数据以来季后赛单场最高纪录。朱利叶斯·兰德尔 (Julius Randle) 得到21分和10个篮板，领跑全队。顶替爱德华兹首发的特伦斯·香农 (Terrence Shannon Jr.) 贡献了16分和5个篮板。
文班亚马全场贡献11分、15个篮板并送出盖帽，从开场起就掌控了场上节奏。这位7英尺4英寸的中锋与7英尺1英寸的戈贝尔在开局阶段便互送盖帽，拉开了这两位法国国家队队友之间防守大战的序幕。半场结束时，文班亚马已入账7次盖帽。戈贝尔全场则贡献了10个篮板和7分。
以下是周一这场激烈的系列赛首战的一些赛后要点。
安东尼·爱德华兹回归森林狼
周一爱德华兹的表现堪称神话。
在上一轮对阵丹佛掘金的系列赛中，爱德华兹左膝过度伸展并遭遇骨挫伤，大多数人认为他至少要到周五的第三场比赛才会尝试复出对抗马刺。他不仅赶上了首战，还在第四节接管了比赛，在末节前五分钟内就砍下18分中的11分，助森林狼反超。
随后，在短暂休息后，他重新上场并打完了比赛，全场出战25分钟。
爱德华兹在膝伤仅九天后便重返赛场。他全身心投入康复，比预期提前至少五天回归，并在前三节不断试探自己在场上能做和不能做的事情。
在第四节，他发起了猛攻。他命中两记三分，并助攻兰德尔投进另一记三分，将比分追至84平，随后他持球强攻篮下，为森林狼取得领先。
他唯一的瑕疵是最后时刻的一次失误，被迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 转化为扣篮，将分差缩小至2分。但朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 错失了绝杀三分，森林狼艰难带走首胜。
这是典型的当家球星式的强硬表现。没人相信他能打，他不仅打了，还起到了领袖作用。 — 乔恩·克劳钦斯基 (Jon Krawczynski)
马刺的现实考验
对于马刺来说，现在是认清现实的时候了。他们撞上了森林狼防守的“铜墙铁壁”，阵地战进攻陷入停滞。
明尼苏达全方位的防守长度带来了严峻挑战，文班亚马除了在外线单挑戈贝尔外，很难获得机会。此时经验因素开始显现，马刺似乎找不到阵地战的节奏，文班直到最后时刻才勉强找到出手机会。
达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 手感冰冷，文班亚马三分球8投0中，马刺无法指望这两大核心进攻引擎发挥作用。随后，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 在关键时刻犯满离场，球队失去了最可靠的、能通过突破创造空位三分机会的持球突破手。
马刺需要想办法创造更好的底角机会，并让文班亚马在顺下中接球，但他们也必须适应明尼苏达展现出的防守长度和强度。 — 贾里德·韦斯 (Jared Weiss)
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：Timberwolves steal Game 1 in last-second thriller despite historic night from Wembanyama: Takeaways
Timberwolves steal Game 1 in last-second thriller despite historic night from Wembanyama: Takeaways
It was obvious — literally from the jump, when skyscrapers Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama squared off at midcourt — that every bucket of the Western Conference semifinals series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs would be hard-earned. Such was the case in a tight Game 1, which the Wolves won 104-102 Monday night at Frost Bank Center.
Anthony Edwards returned to the Timberwolves’ lineup — his first action since April 25 — and led a balanced attack while coming off the bench with 18 points in the sixth seed’s upset of the No. 2 Spurs.
The Timberwolves had six players finish with double figures in scoring, and the team countered a historic effort from Wembanyama, whose 12 blocks were the most in a playoff game since the stat became official in the 1973-74 season. Julius Randle led the Wolves with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Terrence Shannon Jr., who started in place of Edwards, added 16 points and five rebounds.
Wembanyama, who had 11 points and 15 rebounds to go along with his blocks, commanded the pace of floor from the start. The 7-foot-4 center and 7-foot-1 Gobert traded blocks in the opening seconds to tee up what would be a defensive clash between French national teammates. Wembanyama racked up seven blocks by halftime. Gobert had 10 rebounds and seven points for the game.
Here are some takeaways from Monday’s competitive Game 1.
Anthony Edwards returns for Wolves
Monday was mythic stuff from Edwards.
Most believed it would take him until at least Game 3 on Friday to try and give it a go against the Spurs after hyperextending and suffering a bone bruise in his left knee in the previous series against the Denver Nuggets. Not only did he get back in time for Game 1, but he took the game over in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of his 18 points in the first five minutes of the period to push the Timberwolves in front.
Then, after a quick rest, he returned to finish the game with 25 minutes played.
Edwards was playing nine days after the knee injury. He threw himself into rehab to get back at least five days sooner than expected, then spent the first three quarters trying to figure out what he could and could not do on the court.
In the fourth quarter, he pounced. He hit two 3s and fed Randle for another 3 to tie the game at 84, then put his head down and got to the basket to get the Wolves the lead.
His only blemish was a late turnover that Dylan Harper turned into a dunk to cut the deficit to two points. But Julian Champagnie missed a 3 to win the game, and the Wolves stole Game 1.
It was the kind of gutty performance that faces of the franchise give. No one believed he was going to play. Then, not only did he play, but he led. — Jon Krawczynski
A reality check for the Spurs
It’s reality-check time for the Spurs, who ran into the brick wall of the Timberwolves’ defense and could not get their half-court offense going.
Minnesota presented a starker challenge with their defensive length across the board, making it hard for Wembanyama to get anywhere unless he was taking Rudy Gobert in iso out on the perimeter. This was the moment the experience factor came into play, as the Spurs looked like they could not find their half-court identity, and Wembanyama struggled to create good looks until the very end.
De’Aaron Fox had a rough shooting night, and Wembanyama went 0 of 8 from deep, so the Spurs could not count on two of their key offensive engines to execute. Then, Stephon Castle fouled out heading into crunch time, taking away the team’s most reliable dribble penetrator who can help create open 3s.
The Spurs will need to find a way to generate better corner looks and get Wembanyama the ball on the roll, but they also need to get used to the length and strength Minnesota brings. — Jared Weiss
By Jared Weiss, Jon Krawczynski and Emily Ohman, via The Athletic