By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-05-05 11:08:06
2026年5月4日，周一，在圣安东尼奥霜银中心球馆，马刺体育娱乐公司员工乔金·罗梅罗 (Joaqin Romero) 在西部半决赛圣安东尼奥马刺对阵明尼苏达森林狼的第一场比赛开始前，协助在座位上为球迷摆放 Fiesta 主题的 T 恤。
霜银中心球馆的马刺 Fiesta 狂欢盛会并没有吓倒森林狼球星安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards)。
事实上，这反而激励了他。
“球馆里的每个人都在反对我们。这是最棒的事情，”在森林狼周一晚上以 104-102 战胜马刺的西部半决赛首战后，爱德华兹告诉记者。
“每个人都穿着粉色、蓝色，喊着‘马刺加油 (Go, Spurs, Go)’。我属于明尼苏达，我始终支持明尼苏达。我和我的兄弟们在一起，我们要去战斗。”
在出场时间受限的情况下，爱德华兹在第四节砍下了 18 分中的 11 分。此前他因膝伤缺席了森林狼首轮对阵丹佛掘金六场系列赛的最后两场多比赛，这次复出表现极具戏剧性。
“他的恢复能力以及在场上倾其所有的表现对我们来说至关重要，”明尼苏达前锋朱利叶斯·兰德尔 (Julius Randle) 说道，他本场贡献了 21 分和 10 个篮板，拿到了今年季后赛的个人首次两双。
4 月 25 日爱德华兹遭遇左膝骨挫伤和过度伸展后，明尼苏达曾预计这位四届全明星将缺席对阵马刺的前两场比赛。但他努力重返赛场，为这支缺少后卫唐特·迪温琴佐 (Donte DiVincenzo)（右侧跟腱断裂）和阿约·多孙穆 (Ayo Dosunmu)（右小腿酸痛）的球队注入了动力。
“没人预料到他会出场，”森林狼后卫迈克·康利 (Mike Conley) 说道。“这展现了他对比赛的投入程度。不仅是对比赛，还有对队友。这说明了很多。”
马刺方面表示，他们并没有对爱德华兹的回归感到措手不及。
“我们是按照他会出场的情况来训练的，”前锋朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 说道。“他是一名伟大的球员。策略上没有什么不同。”
爱德华兹在 25 分钟内 13 投 8 中，三分球 3 投 2 中。
“我确信，只要我在场上，大家就会冷静下来，”爱德华兹说。“不是说我的队友有压力，而是只要知道我在那里，我可以上场，大家的压力就会减轻。我只是在做我最擅长的事，就是努力把球投进篮筐。”
目前尚不清楚明尼苏达主帅克里斯·芬奇 (Chris Finch) 是否会让爱德华兹在第二场比赛中重回首发阵容。
无论如何使用他，爱德华兹都会继续全力冲击马刺。这在第一节就显而易见，当时他在首节还剩 1 分 27 秒时投进第一个三分球后，转向马刺替补席大喊：“我回来了！我回来了！”
马刺前锋凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 本场得到 11 分，他与爱德华兹有几次言语交锋。
“你指望他整场比赛都保持安静吗？那会削弱比赛的竞争性，”约翰逊说。“你永远不会回避竞争。你每天都上场去拼搏。如果我们聊上几句，那也没关系。那是篮球比赛的一部分。”
马刺后卫迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 谈到爱德华兹时说：“他是这个联盟的超级巨星。即使有一段时间没打球了，他还是能回来打出这样的表现。”
即便面对满场穿着 Fiesta 配色球衣、为对手加油的球迷。
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：What Anthony Edwards had to say about the Spurs' Fiesta atmosphere
What Anthony Edwards had to say about the Spurs’ Fiesta atmosphere
Spurs Sports & Entertainment employee Joaqin Romero, front, helps arrange Fiesta-themed t-shirts on seats for fans before the start of Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Monday, May 4, 2026.
The Spurs Fiesta fandango at the Frost Bank Center didn’t intimidate Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.
In fact, it motivated him.
“Everybody in the arena is against us. That’s the best thing about it,” Edwards told reporters after Minnesota’s 104-102 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday night.
“Everybody got on pink, blue, chanting ‘Go, Spurs, Go.’ I’m with Minnesota, I got Minnesota’s back at all times. I’m out there with my brothers and we’re going to war.”
Playing under a minutes restriction, Edwards scored 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter in his dramatic return from the knee injury that forced him to miss the final two-plus games of the Timberwolves’ six-game first-round series against Denver.
“His ability to bounce back and gives us whatever he had out there was huge,” said Minnesota forward Julius Randle, who had his first double-double of the playoffs with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Minnesota expected the four-time All-Star to miss the first two games against the Spurs after he suffered a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee on April 25. But he fought his way back onto the court to boost a team that was without guards Donte DiVincenzo (ruptured right Achilles tendon) and Ayo Dosunmu (right calf soreness).
“Nobody expected him to play,” Timberwolves guard Mike Conley said. “It was just his level of commitment to the game. Not just to the game, but to his teammates. It showed a lot.”
The Spurs said they weren’t caught off guard by Edwards’ return.
“We practiced as if he was playing,” forward Julian Champagnie said. “He’s a great player. There was no difference in strategy.”
Edwards finished 8 of 13 from the field and 2 of 3 from 3-point range in 25 minutes.
“I know for a fact, just me being out there, it calms everybody down,” Edwards said. “Not saying there’s any pressure on any of my teammates, but it takes pressure off of everybody just knowing I’m out there, I’m available to play, yeah. And just doing what I do best, just trying to put the ball in the hoop.”
It’s uncertain whether Minnesota coach Chris Finch will return Edwards to the starting lineup for Game 2.
No matter how they use him, Edwards will keep coming at the Spurs hard. That was clear in the first quarter when he turned to the Spurs bench and shouted, “I’m back! I’m back!” after he sank his first 3 with 1:27 left in the first period.
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, who finished with 11 points, had a few back-and-forth trash talking sessions with Edwards.
“You expect him to just be quiet the whole game? That takes away from the competitiveness of the game,” Johnson said. “You never shy away from the competition. You go out there to compete day in, day out. And if we get to talk a little bit, then that’s fine. That’s a part of the game of basketball.”
Said Spurs guard Dylan Harper of Edwards, “Superstar in this league. He’s going to come back and have games like that even though he hasn’t played for a little bit.”
Even with all those fans in Fiesta colors rooting against him.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News