By Jon Krawczynski | The Athletic, 2026-05-07 10:45:26
圣安东尼奥——在对阵圣安东尼奥马刺队的系列赛第二场比赛前，明尼苏达森林狼队的更衣室里弥漫着一种特有的宁静。朱利叶斯·兰德尔 (Julius Randle) 坐在角落里，神情轻松地与几名记者谈笑风生。迈克·康利 (Mike Conley) 带着微笑穿上球衣，谈到这支球队的化学反应是多年来最好的。
在客场战胜拿到 62 胜的马刺队并取得一场极其艰难的 G1 胜利后，森林狼队似乎已经结束了整个赛季对身份和目标的追寻，掌控了这轮次轮系列赛。周三晚上，他们希望继续给这支从未经历过这种场面的年轻球队施压，将他们拖入这群久经沙场、深谙取胜之道的硬汉所设下的“酷刑室”。
然而，在经历了一场由维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 和马刺队制造、将系列赛大比分扳平的 133-95 惨败后，安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 对赛前的氛围有了不同的解读。
“第一场比赛结束后我就告诉大家，那些在客场偷到首胜的球队往往会有某种天然的倾向，就是在第二场被打爆，所以我们不能带着松懈的心态上场，”他说，“结果我们打得很松懈，发生了什么？我们被打爆了。”
第三场比赛将于周五在明尼苏达进行。
森林狼在令人振奋的 G1 胜利中所展现出的所有锋芒和坚韧，在周三都被投篮打铁和失误的阴云所掩埋。他们全场投篮命中率仅为 29%，失误 11 次，上半场仅得 35 分，拱手送给马刺队 25 分的领先优势，而分差最终一度扩大到 47 分。
兰德尔出现了 5 次失误，爱德华兹和鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert) 各有 4 次失误。森林狼在篮板球上以 43-55 落后，转换进攻得分以 5-29 惨败，遭遇了队史季后赛最悬殊的失利。
“我告诉他们，我们刚刚被揍扁了，”森林狼主帅克里斯·芬奇 (Chris Finch) 说道。
森林狼完成了他们在圣安东尼奥的目标，带走了一场胜利并夺回了主场优势。但在系列赛开局表现如此英勇之后，这正是他们最不想要的一场比赛。他们从头到尾都被压制，让这支年轻且缺乏经验的马刺队充满了信心，让他们觉得周一的失利不过是一次偶然。
在首场比赛 17 投 5 中后，文班亚马在第二场比赛中 15 投 7 中得到 19 分，并抓下 15 个篮板。斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 贡献 21 分，而达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 从低迷的 G1 中反弹，砍下 16 分。
如果说森林狼原本有机会通过 G2 的胜利彻底击垮圣安东尼奥人的斗志，那么他们用一场糟糕的表现挥霍了这次机会。现在，马刺队将带着十足的信念前往明尼阿波利斯。他们在周三晚上制定了比赛规则：他们在每一次地滚球的争抢中都击败了森林狼，并在转换进攻中让对手疲于奔命。他们锁死了爱德华兹，挫败了兰德尔和杰登·麦克丹尼尔斯 (Jaden McDaniels)。他们看起来就像系列赛开始前被广泛看好的夺冠热门。
在 G1 错失绝杀三分的朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie)，在第二场比赛中三分球 6 投 4 中，在场上意气风发。卡斯尔展现了身体对抗能力，与伯恩斯·海兰德 (Bones Hyland) 缠斗，让麦克丹尼尔斯陷入犯规麻烦，同时罚球 9 罚 9 中。新秀卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant) 伤愈复出，为这轮本就充满对抗的系列赛注入了更多硬度。文班亚马在 G1 中外线 8 投 0 中，而在周三投进第二个三分球后，他双拳紧握冲向空中，并在退防时对着替补席展示肌肉。
“我们被全方位击败了，”兰德尔说，“就这么简单。在这样一场比赛之后真的没什么好说的。他们在拼抢上赢了我们，身体对抗上赢了我们，执行力更强，防守更好，能量更足。”
兰德尔在面对马刺积极的防守者时，两场比赛已经出现了 10 次失误。他经常在面对那些能迅速包夹并迫使他进行高难度传球的强壮侧翼时感到挣扎，但为了让森林狼在这轮系列赛中有机会，他必须表现得更好。周三晚上，他 10 投 4 中仅得 12 分，且只有 5 个篮板。
“我觉得我只是在糟糕的位置接球，并在糟糕的区域被包夹，”兰德尔说，“我必须获得更好的位置，这样我就能更好地进行组织。”
森林狼预料到马刺会做出反击，但这更多是因为他们自己的无能，而非对手的强大。马刺随着比赛的进行打得非常好，但在开局阶段犯了很多年轻球队会犯的错误。卡斯尔在快攻中失误，德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 投了一些不合理的投篮，凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 的鲁莽突破也未能奏效。
但明尼苏达无力利用这些年轻人的疏忽。即使在文班亚马下场休息、卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 镇守篮下等待被攻击时，森林狼也只是一味地在外线投三分。在前两场季后赛中表现极具爆发力的特伦斯·香农 (Terrence Shannon Jr.) 冲击篮筐时毫无章法，12 投仅 4 中，其中三分球 4 投 0 中。康利看起来完全显露了 38 岁的高龄，被马刺活跃的外线防守者压制得喘不过气。
爱德华兹 13 投 5 中得到 12 分，三分球 5 投 1 中，他在马刺极具侵略性的防守面前显得非常吃力，对手在他一过半场就对他进行包夹。他已经习惯了在面对双人包夹时迅速出球，但在第二场比赛中他的反应慢了很多。
“他们的防守打疯了，对吧？”爱德华兹说，“我想我们必须回去看录像，找到其中的漏洞。我们只是没能投进足够的球来让他们停止这种防守。我觉得我们今晚投篮很挣扎，而他们整晚都乐于这么干。”
森林狼上半场三分球 15 投 2 中，失误次数（11 次）几乎和进球数（14 个）一样多。
“我们必须打出侵略性。我们现在有点像是在原地运球，哪儿也去不了，”芬奇说，“我们必须能够撕开防守缺口，打出冲击力。那是我们喜欢的打法，也是我们最擅长的。”
麦克丹尼尔斯是为数不多的亮点，他 10 投 6 中得到 12 分，还有 4 次助攻和 1 个盖帽。在他上场的 19 分 35 秒里，森林狼仅输了 6 分，这在惨败 38 分的比赛中简直是个奇迹。但他再次受到犯规困扰，证明了他在攻防两端是多么被需要。
森林狼在第二节打得不好，但当麦克丹尼尔斯因第三次犯规不得不下场时，他们仅以 22-30 落后。随后马刺在剩下的时间里打出了 28-13 的高潮，掌控了比赛。
“只要杰登能打，你就需要他时刻留在场上，”爱德华兹说，“他不在场对我们来说每次都是伤害。他知道这一点，我们也知道。全场观众都知道，对方球队也知道。当他陷入犯规麻烦时，他们就高兴了。”
阿约·多孙穆 (Ayo Dosunmu) 在因困扰数周的小腿伤势缺席了对阵掘金的第六场和对阵马刺的第一场后复出。他在对阵丹佛掘金队的第四场比赛中砍下 43 分时的那种冲击力，在周三消失得无影无踪。他开场时打得小心翼翼，或许是在测试小腿的情况，但下半场因为右跟腱疼痛没有上场。他在离场前的 10 分 29 秒里 4 投 0 中，一分未得。
在过去的三年里，森林狼建立起了坚韧的名声，能够在惨痛的挫折后给出强有力的回应。在准备第三场比赛时，他们将依靠这段历史。就像在 G1 击败马刺后没理由庆祝一样，在 G2 被痛击后，他们的眼神中也没有恐慌。
你可能会认为如此悬殊的失利表明这支球队不值得被认真对待。但森林狼可以回想起上赛季西决第三场他们曾以 42 分大胜俄克拉荷马城雷霆队，以此证明一个糟糕的夜晚是可以被克服的。他们在过去三次大比分战平 1-1 的系列赛中都笑到了最后，包括上一轮 4-2 完胜丹佛。
“我们在一起打球这么久了，”爱德华兹说，“我们了解彼此，我们知道该做什么。”
好消息是系列赛现在回到了标靶中心，周五晚上那里无疑会有狂热的观众在等待着他们。在主场战胜掘金的三场比赛中，球馆内的助威声震耳欲聋，爱德华兹表示他们需要更响亮的助威声来帮助他们战胜马刺。
“我已经准备好回到球迷面前，回到主场观众面前了，”爱德华兹说，“看到这些（马刺）球迷，他们对我们说垃圾话。我希望我们的球迷也能对他们说垃圾话。”
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：'We just got punked': Wolves lose their edge in Game 2 wipeout by Spurs
‘We just got punked’: Wolves lose their edge in Game 2 wipeout by Spurs
SAN ANTONIO — There was a certain tranquility in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ locker room before Game 2 against the San Antonio Spurs. Julius Randle sat in one corner, relaxed and laughing with a few reporters. Mike Conley got dressed with a grin as he spoke about the chemistry of this team being as good as it has been in years.
It felt like a season-long search for identity and purpose had culminated in a hellacious Game 1 victory over the 62-win Spurs that put Minnesota in control of this second-round series. What they wanted to do on Wednesday night was keep the pressure on a young team that has never been here before, putting them in a torture chamber against a battle-tested group that knows what it takes.
Anthony Edwards had a different interpretation of the vibes in the aftermath of a 133-95 wipeout at the hands of Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs that evened the series.
“I told the guys after the first game, the natural tendency for teams that steal the first game, the away team, they get blown out in Game 2, so we can’t come out cool,” he said. “We came out cool, and what happened? We got blown out.”
Game 3 is on Friday in Minnesota.
All the edge and tenacity the Wolves showed in their inspiring Game 1 win was buried underneath a wet blanket of missed shots and turnovers on Wednesday. They shot 29 percent from the field, turned the ball over 11 times and scored just 35 points in the first half, gift-wrapping a 25-point lead for the Spurs that would eventually grow to as many as 47.
Randle turned the ball over five times, Edwards and Rudy Gobert had four giveaways each, and the Wolves were out-rebounded 55-43 and outscored in transition 29-5 in their most lopsided playoff loss in franchise history.
“I told them we just got punked,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said.
The Wolves accomplished what they came to do in San Antonio, earning a split to wrestle homecourt advantage away. But this is exactly the kind of game they did not want after such a spirited performance to open the series. They were throttled from start to finish, giving a young and inexperienced Spurs team plenty of confidence that Monday’s loss was nothing more than a fluke.
After going 5 of 17 from the field in the opener, Victor Wembanyama scored 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting with 15 rebounds in Game 2. Stephon Castle scored 21 points and De’Aaron Fox bounced back from a rough Game 1 to score 16.
If the Wolves had a chance to take San Antonio’s spirit with another victory in Game 2, they squandered it with a woeful performance. Now the Spurs will head to Minneapolis with all the belief in the world. They set the rules of engagement on Wednesday night. They beat the Wolves to every loose ball and ran them ragged in transition. They stifled Edwards and frustrated Randle and Jaden McDaniels. They looked like the heavy favorite they were when the series began.
Julian Champagnie, who missed a potential game-winning 3 in Game 1, was strutting all over the court while hitting 4 of 6 treys in Game 2. Castle was throwing his weight around, tangling with Bones Hyland and getting McDaniels in foul trouble, while going 9 of 9 from the free-throw line. Rookie Carter Bryant returned from injury to inject even more physicality into a series already overflowing with it. Wembanyama, who went 0 of 8 from deep in Game 1, thrust both fists in the air after hitting his second 3 on Wednesday, flexing toward the bench on his way back down the court.
“We got beat in every way possible,” Randle said. “It’s simple as that. There’s really not much to say off a game like this. They out-hustled us, out-physicaled us, out-executed, played better defensively, more energy.”
Randle now has 10 turnovers in the two games against the Spurs’ active defenders. He often struggles against physical wings who double quickly and force him to make contested passes, but he simply has to be better for the Wolves to have a chance in this series. He was 4 of 10 for 12 points and only five rebounds on Wednesday night.
“I think I’m just getting the ball in bad spots and getting trapped in bad areas,” Randle said. “I’ve got to get better positioning and from there I’ll able to playmake a little better.”
The Timberwolves expected the Spurs to throw a punch, but this was less about the power of their opponent and more about their own ineptitude. San Antonio played very well as the game progressed, but in the early going made so many of the mistakes young teams make. Castle turned it over on a fast break. Devin Vassell jacked ill-advised 3s. Keldon Johnson biffed reckless drives to the basket.
But Minnesota was powerless to take advantage of the youthful indiscretions. The Wolves settled for 3s even when Wembanyama was on the bench and Luke Kornet was sitting in the middle waiting to be attacked. Terrence Shannon Jr., so explosive in the previous two playoff games, went to the rim without a plan and was 4-of-12, including 0-of-4 from 3. Conley looked every bit his 38 years old, overwhelmed by the Spurs’ active perimeter defenders.
Edwards scored 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting, missed four of his five 3s and struggled mightily with the Spurs’ ultra-aggressive defense that trapped him as soon as he crossed the half-court line. He has become adept at moving the ball quickly when he faces double teams, but was much slower to react in Game 2.
“They were playing crazy, right?” Edwards said. “I think we’ve got to watch film on it, find the holes in it. We just didn’t make enough shots to get them out of it. I think we struggled to make shots tonight. They were content with doing it the entire night.”
The Wolves went 2 of 15 from 3 and had nearly as many turnovers (11) as made shots (14) in the first half.
“We’ve got to go somewhere. We are kind of dribbling and going nowhere,” Finch said. “We’ve got to be able to punch gaps and play downhill. That’s what we like to do, and that’s when we’re at our best.”
McDaniels was a bright spot, scoring 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting with four assists and one block. The Wolves were outscored by six points in the 19:35 he was on the court, practically a miracle in a game they lost by 38. But he was limited by fouls again, proving just how needed he is on both ends.
Minnesota was not playing well in the second quarter but was only down 30-22 when McDaniels had to go to the bench with his third foul. San Antonio outscored the Wolves 28-13 the rest of the way to grab control of the game.
“You need Jaden on the floor at all times, whenever he’s available,” Edwards said. “Him being off the court is going to hurt us every time. He knows it, we know it. The whole gym knows it. Their team knows it. When he gets in foul trouble, they get happy.”
Ayo Dosunmu returned after missing Game 6 against Denver and Game 1 against the Spurs with a bothersome calf injury that has lingered for several weeks. All the force he played with in that 43-point Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets was nowhere to be found on Wednesday. He started the game playing gingerly, perhaps testing the calf to see what he could do with it, but did not play in the second half because of right heel pain. He was scoreless on 0-of-4 shooting in 10:29 before leaving the game.
Over the last three years, the Wolves have built a reputation for resilience, for responding with force after glaring setbacks. They will lean into that history as they prepare for Game 3. Just like there was no reason to hang a banner after beating the Spurs in Game 1, there was no panic in their eyes after getting blasted in Game 2.
You may think losing by such a wide margin shows that this is a team that is not to be taken seriously. But the Wolves can point to their own 42-point victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals last season as proof that one bad night can be overcome. They have won their last three playoff series that started 1-1, including their convincing 4-2 win over Denver in the last round.
“We’ve just been together so long,” Edwards said. “We know each other. We know what we gotta do.”
The good news is the series now shifts back to Target Center, where a raucous crowd will no doubt be waiting for them Friday night. The building was deafening in their three victories there over the Nuggets, and Edwards said they will need it even louder to help them conquer the Spurs.
“I’m ready to get back in front of the fans, in front of the home crowd,” Edwards said. “Seeing these (Spurs) fans, they talking crazy to us. I hope our fans talk crazy to them, too.”
By Jon Krawczynski, via The Athletic