By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-05-11 14:08:10
2026年5月10日，周日，在明尼阿波利斯标靶中心举行的西部半决赛第四场下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) (5) 与圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) (4) 在场上交流。马刺队以109-114不敌森林狼队，系列赛大比分被扳成2-2平。
第五场取胜关键
保持强硬，但要冷静
文班亚马在第四场被驱逐出场，源于这位22岁的法国人罕见地失去了冷静。在面对森林狼队的粗野对待时，他挥拳击中了纳兹·里德 (Naz Reid) 的面部进行回击。
明尼苏达在周二针对文班亚马和其他球员的比赛计划不太可能改变。森林狼队会不断地拉扯、推搡、拉抱和抓拽，直到裁判鸣哨制止。
马刺队同样需要打出强度，但绝不能像周日的文班亚马那样跨越红线。
在第五场比赛中，文班的首要任务是确保自己留在场上，并保持专注。
孤立爱德华兹
全明星后卫安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 几乎凭借一己之力将森林狼队带到了2-2平的局面。在双膝都有伤的情况下，他打出了许多球员在健康状态下都难以企及的表现。
爱德华兹在明尼苏达的两场比赛中合砍68分，再次向全联盟证明，一旦他真正进入状态，防守他几乎是不可能的。
对马刺队来说，好消息是森林狼队阵中还没有其他球员能持续加入爱德华兹的得分盛宴。
除了爱德华兹，本系列赛至今只有另一名森林狼球员单场得分达到20分。那就是朱利叶斯·兰德尔 (Julius Randle)，他在森林狼队赢下第一场比赛时贡献了21分和10个篮板。
马刺队一直擅长通过防守让爱德华兹拖着伤腿艰难得分，同时限制他队友的产出。
在第五场比赛中，马刺队应当延续这一策略。
限制二次进攻机会
甚至在周日文班亚马极其不体面地离场之前，马刺队在防守篮板的保护上就已经遇到了一些困难。
第四场比赛中，森林狼队前20分里有一半来自二次进攻机会。最终，森林狼队在这一项统计上以24-15占据优势。
这正是森林狼队的风格。在本系列赛中，这一直是马刺队面临的问题，即便是在赢球的场次也不例外。
为了在第五场中获得最大的胜算，马刺队需要专注于限制森林狼队，力争让对方每个回合只有一次出手。
森林狼队身材高大，冲抢进攻篮板非常积极。马刺队无论如何都必须将他们挡在篮板区域之外。
—— 杰夫·麦克唐纳 (Jeff McDonald)
由生成式 AI 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 5 keys to victory
Spurs vs. Timberwolves: Game 5 keys to victory
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) and San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox (4) converse during the second half of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals at Target Center in Minneapolis on Sunday, May 10, 2026. The Spurs lost to the Timberwolves 114-109, tying the series at 2-2.
GAME 5 KEYS TO VICTORY
Be tough, but be smart
Wembanyama’s dismissal from Game 4 stemmed from a rare loss of poise from the 22-year-old Frenchman, who retaliated to rough treatment from the Timberwolves by clocking Naz Reid in the face.
Minnesota’s game plan with Wembanyama and others is unlikely to change Tuesday. The Wolves will claw and push and shove and hold and grab until officials blow their whistles and force them to stop.
The Spurs need to play with force in turn, but cannot be drawn too far over the line like Wembanyama was Sunday.
Wembanyama’s first priority in Game 5 should be to keep himself on the floor and his head in the game.
Keep Ant on an island
All-Star guard Anthony Edwards has almost single-handedly lifted Minnesota into a 2-2 tie in the series, putting together performances on two bad knees that few players can produce on two good ones.
Edwards totaled 68 points in the two games in Minnesota, reminding the league of the impossibility of guarding him when he really gets going.
The good news for the Spurs is that nobody else on the Wolves’ roster has joined Edwards’ scoring party on a consistent basis.
Outside of Edwards, only one other Wolves player has reached 20 points in a game this series. That would be Julius Randle, who had a 21-point, 10-rebound performance in Minnesota’s Game 1 victory.
The Spurs have been adept at making Edwards work hard on his aching legs to get his points, while curtailing production from the rest of his teammates.’
It would be a good idea for the Spurs to keep that up in Game 5.
Limit second chances
Even before Wembanyama’s unceremonious exit Sunday, the Spurs were having some difficulties on the defensive glass.
Half of Minnesota’s first 20 points in Game 4 came via second-chance opportunities. The Timberwolves eventually rang up a 24-15 edge in that department.
This is what the Wolves do. It has been a problem for the Spurs in the series, even in victories.
For the Spurs to give themselves the best shot in Game 5, they will need to focus on limiting Minnesota to one shot per possession.
The Timberwolves are big. They are aggressive in crashing the offensive boards. The Spurs will need to keep them off the glass anyway.
- Jeff McDonald
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News