By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-05-14 13:20:26
2026年4月28日，周二，在圣安东尼奥弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季后赛首轮对阵波特兰开拓者队的第五场比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队首席助教肖恩·斯威尼 (Sean Sweeney) 在第四节向球队面授机宜。马刺队以114-95获胜，并锁定了第二轮席位。
明尼阿波利斯——那本笔记本似乎形影不离地跟着肖恩·斯威尼 (Sean Sweeney)：从马刺队的教练会议，到录像分析课，再到与球员的一对一交流。
比赛期间，这本装在棕色皮革文件夹里的黄色法律便签本就夹在斯威尼的腋下，他紧随主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 身后三步远，在场边来回走动。而在球队专机上，它则静静地躺在他的膝盖上。
对于这位马刺队的首席助教来说，那本笔记本简直就像是他身体的一部分。然而，它的内容在马刺内部依然是一个被严密守护的谜团。
“我不知道里面写了什么，”前锋朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 说道，“而且说实话，我真的一点也不想知道。”
但有一点几乎可以肯定：无论斯威尼那本可靠的笔记本上涂鸦了什么秘密，它们都是马刺队距离时隔九年再次重返西部决赛仅差一场胜利的重要原因。
现年41岁的斯威尼在全NBA范围内都被公认为防守大师，他在达拉斯效力四个赛季后，于去年夏天加入了约翰逊的教练组。
其成效立竿见影且令人印象深刻。在2024-25赛季防守效率位列联盟倒数第五之后，马刺队在刚刚结束的常规赛中跃升至联盟第三。
在周五前往明尼苏达参加分区半决赛第六场比赛之前——圣安东尼奥目前以总比分3-2领先——马刺队拥有季后赛中联盟最顶尖的防守，每百回合仅失102分，这一数据令人咋舌。
马刺队防守端如此翻天覆地的变化，斯威尼应得多少功劳？去问问联盟历史上首位全票当选的年度最佳防守球员就知道了。
“全部功劳，”维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 说道。
这位马刺季后赛征程中被低估的明星是一位身高5英尺11英寸、留着红发的明尼苏达人。斯威尼在圣保罗长大，家就在距离标靶中心仅一河之隔的密西西比河对岸，他看起来就像是刚从《玛丽·泰勒·摩尔秀》的片场走出来一样。
2026年1月15日，周四，在圣安东尼奥弗罗斯特银行中心主场对阵密尔沃基雄鹿队的比赛开始前，马刺队首席助教肖恩·斯威尼观察球队热身。
然而，外表是具有欺骗性的。
听几位马刺球员的描述，斯威尼是一个思维极其严密、脏话连篇的“疯狂科学家”。
“他会来到替补席，然后就开始抓狂，对着我们破口大骂，”尚帕尼笑着说，“通常情况下，他最后会喊到失声——因为他总是对着我们大吼大叫，导致气都喘不上来。”
斯威尼目前尚未接受媒体采访，但马刺队的防守数据已经说明了一切。
截至周五，马刺队已经打了10场季后赛。在其中一半的比赛中，他们将对手的得分限制在100分以下。
这是一个屡试不爽的获胜公式。包括常规赛在内，马刺队在将对手得分限制在百分以下时的战绩为16胜0负。
在分区半决赛中，斯威尼领导的防守体系对森林狼队的入选全明星（尽管有伤在身）的后卫安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 实施了大量的半场陷阱包夹，这经常让明尼苏达的进攻陷入瘫痪。
诚然，这些战术之所以奏效，主要是因为7英尺4英寸的文班亚马随时都能封锁大约半个球场的空间。尽管如此，马刺球员还是称赞斯威尼让所有人达成了一致。
“他对所有细节的关注，以及他解释事情的方式，让我们能够理解（这非常重要），”后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 说道，“他是我们成为西部顶级防守球队的重要原因。”
事实上，斯威尼加盟圣安东尼奥已被证明是上个NBA休赛期最具影响力的“自由球员”引援之一。
当39岁的约翰逊在去年夏天接替格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 全职执掌帅印时，他待办事项上的首要任务之一就是组建教练组。
马刺队留住了波波维奇时期的两名助教：马特·尼尔森 (Matt Neilsen) 和迈克·诺伊斯 (Mike Noyes)。
由于约翰逊从助理教练升任主教练，教练组出现了一个空缺。另一个空缺则是因为波波维奇的长期助手布雷特·布朗 (Brett Brown) 主动选择转入管理层担任顾问职务。
约翰逊最终在这个庞大的教练组中增加了三名新助手：斯威尼；科利斯·威廉姆森 (Corliss Williamson)，一位曾是NBA球员、上赛季在明尼苏达执教的资深助教；以及斯科特·金 (Scott King)，他曾是发展联盟奥斯汀马刺队的主教练。
这种构想不仅是为了填补职位，更是为了注入新鲜的想法。
“能够充实这个团队非常有益，”约翰逊说，“肖恩一直是其中的重要组成部分。”
为了从达拉斯吸引炙手可热的斯威尼，马刺队提供了大幅的加薪以及“首席助教 (Associate Head Coach)”的头衔，这一职位在波波维奇时代并不存在。
在去年夏天之前，约翰逊并不认识斯威尼，但对他早有耳闻。
两人都曾是大学时代的控球后卫——约翰逊在斯坦福大学，而斯威尼在圣保罗的一所私立天主教大学圣托马斯大学。
“我非常欣赏他阐述篮球哲学的能力，以及他对比赛和NBA执教的看法，包括竞争意识、执教严厉程度以及如何让球员承担责任，”约翰逊说，“同时他也具备现代、有创意的一面，能够打破常规思考。”
在来到圣安东尼奥之前，斯威尼在杰森·基德 (Jason Kidd) 手下执教了八个赛季，先后在达拉斯、密尔沃基和布鲁克林任职。
2026年4月21日，周二，在圣安东尼奥弗罗斯特银行中心举行的NBA季后赛首轮对阵波特兰开拓者队的第二场比赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队首席助教肖恩·斯威尼与主教练米奇·约翰逊交谈。马刺以103-106落败，系列赛比分被扳成1-1。
他是带领独行侠队在2024年杀入总决赛的教练组核心成员。在那次征程中，斯威尼制定的防守策略击败了森林狼队和俄克拉荷马城雷霆队——如果马刺能从这一轮突围，雷霆将是他们下一轮的对手。
“他总是做足准备，随时迎接挑战，”基德评价道。
约翰逊最初追求斯威尼的举动值得称赞。许多初任主教练的人可能会因为斯威尼这样的地位和资历而感到威胁。
但约翰逊不会。
他明白组建最强教练组的好处。以此为目标，聘请斯威尼是一个显而易见的决定。
对于像约翰逊这样在直到上个月之前甚至从未以助教身份参加过NBA季后赛的主教练来说，斯威尼的存在就像一条心爱的毯子一样让人安心。
“我非常欣赏他的诚实，”约翰逊说，“我喜欢他的竞争心。”
斯威尼的贡献体现在战术层面，他为每一场比赛设计防守，并能在场上即时做出调整。
经常可以看到斯威尼在场边紧随约翰逊几英尺，指挥交通并大声下达指令。
他的影响超越了战术板。
前锋德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 回忆起夏天第一次见到斯威尼的情景。这位新教练带着瓦塞尔在佛罗里达州立大学时期的大学比赛录像而来，向这位六年级老兵展示他在NBA依然可以成为怎样的防守球员。
“他给我看了我在佛罗里达州立大学时的剪辑，那是过去的日子，”瓦塞尔说，“他非常强调防守端，并以此为傲。他一直在鼓励我们在防守端变得卓越。”
球员们说，斯威尼很懂得如何传达他的观点。马刺新秀迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 形容斯威尼“激情四射且风趣幽默”。
“他总是想赢，”哈珀说，“他总是希望我们做正确的事。当他感到沮丧或生气时，我们都能理解他的初衷。”
马刺在季后赛走得越远，斯威尼下赛季不在圣安东尼奥的可能性就越大。
寻找主教练的NBA球队肯定会找上门来。斯威尼已经与芝加哥和波特兰的职位空缺联系在了一起。
如果斯威尼最终获得其中一个职位，马刺球员不会感到意外。
“很多防守教练最终都成为了主教练，尤其是在NBA，”后卫德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 说道，“我认为他现在就能胜任。”
当被要求列举出能让斯威尼成为一名成功的NBA主教练的素质时，福克斯笑了。
“他绝对够疯狂，”福克斯说。
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：Why the Spurs' Sean Sweeney is the unsung hero of the NBA playoffs
Why the Spurs’ Sean Sweeney is the unsung hero of the NBA playoffs
San Antonio Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney talks to the team during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Spurs won 114-95 and secured a spot in the second round.
MINNEAPOLIS — The notebook seems to follow Sean Sweeney everywhere: from Spurs coaches’ meetings, to film sessions, to one-one-one pow-wows with players.
During games, the yellow legal pad — secured in a brown leather portfolio — slides under Sweeney’s arm as he stalks the sidelines three steps behind head coach Mitch Johnson. It rests on his lap on the team plane rides.
For the Spurs’ associate head coach, that notebook might as well be a vestigial appendage. Its contents, however, remain a well-guarded mystery in Spurs circles.
“I don’t know,” forward Julian Champagnie said. “And honestly and truly, I don’t want to know.”
This much is almost certainly true: Whatever secrets are scrawled in Sweeney’s trusty notebook are a big reason the Spurs are one victory away from returning to the Western Conference finals for the first time in nine years.
Renowned NBA-wide as a defensive savant, the 41-year-old Sweeney joined Johnson’s staff last summer after four seasons in Dallas.
The results have been as immediate as they are imposing. After posting the league’s fifth-worst defense in 2024-25, the Spurs jumped to third during the recently completed regular season.
Heading into Game 6 of the conference semifinals Friday in Minnesota — a series San Antonio leads 3-2 — the Spurs boast the league’s top playoff defense, allowing a paltry 102 points per 100 possessions.
How much credit does Sweeney deserve for the Spurs’ stark defensive about-face? Just ask the league’s first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year.
“All of it,” Victor Wembanyama said.
The unsung star of the Spurs’ playoff run is a 5-foot-11, carrot-topped Minnesotan who grew up just across the Mississippi River from the Target Center in St. Paul and looks like he might have wandered off the set of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
Spurs associate coach Sean Sweeney watches the team warm up before the start of a home game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026.
Looks, however, can be deceiving.
To hear several Spurs tell it, Sweeney is a mad scientist with a steel-trap mind and a sailor’s mouth.
“He’ll come to the bench and just start tripping, cursing us out,” Champagnie said with a laugh. “More often than not, he ends up losing his voice — running out of air, because he’s screaming at us so much.”
Sweeney has not been made available to the media for interviews, but the Spurs’ defensive numbers speak for themselves.
Entering Friday, the Spurs have played 10 playoff games. They have limited opponents to less than 100 points in half of them.
That has been an unfailing winning formula. Including the regular season, the Spurs are 16-0 when keeping teams below the century mark.
In the conference semifinals, the Spurs’ Sweeney-led defense has unveiled a slew of halfcourt traps against the Timberwolves’ All-Star (albeit hobbled) guard Anthony Edwards that has oft rendered Minnesota’s offense inoperable.
Granted, the schemes work primarily because the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama is there to close down roughly half the floor at any given time. Still, Spurs players praise Sweeney for getting all of them on the same page.
“His attention to detail on everything and the way he can explain things to make it make sense for us (is big),” guard Stephon Castle said. “He’s a big reason we’re one of the top defenses in the West.”
Indeed, Sweeney’s arrival in San Antonio has turned out to be one of the most consequential free-agent acquisitions of the last NBA offseason.
When the 39-year-old Johnson took over full-time for Gregg Popovich last summer, one of the first items on his to-do list was to put together a staff.
The Spurs retained a pair of holdovers from Popovich’s bench, Matt Neilsen and Mike Noyes.
Johnson’s move from the assistant’s room to the head coach’s office resulted in one vacancy. Another was created when longtime Popovich aide Brett Brown voluntarily opted to move to the front office in a consulting role.
Johnson ended up adding three new assistants to a super-sized staff — Sweeney; Corliss Williamson, a former NBA player and veteran assistant who coached last season in Minnesota; and Scott King, who had been the head coach of the G League’s Austin Spurs.
The notion was not just to check boxes but inject fresh ideas.
“To be able to add to that group was really beneficial,” Johnson said, “and Sean has been a big part of that.”
To attract the highly sought-after Sweeney from Dallas, the Spurs offered a substantial pay bump and the title of associate head coach, a designation that did not exist under Popovich.
Johnson did not know Sweeney personally before last summer, but knew of him.
Both were former college point guards — Johnson at Stanford and Sweeney at the University of St. Thomas, a private Catholic college in St. Paul.
“I just took a liking to his ability to articulate his basketball philosophy and what he thought about the game and NBA coaching in general, in terms of competitiveness and how hard you should coach and holding guys accountable,” Johnson said. “But also the modern, creative part and thinking outside the box.”
Before coming to San Antonio, Sweeney spent eight seasons coaching under Jason Kidd, with stops in Dallas, Milwaukee and Brooklyn.
San Antonio Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney talks to head coach Mitch Johnson during the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The Spurs fell 106-103, evening the series at 1-1.
He was an integral part of a staff that guided the Mavericks to a Finals berth in 2024. During that run, Sweeney developed defenses that toppled the Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs’ opponent in the next round should they survive this one.
“He was always prepared and ready for the moment,” Kidd said.
Give Johnson credit for pursuing Sweeney in the first place. Many first-time head coaches might feel threatened by someone of Sweeney’s stature and pedigree swooping in.
Not Johnson.
He understood the benefit of building the best staff he could. With that as the goal, Sweeney’s hire was a no-brainer.
For a coach like Johnson, who before last month had never coached in an NBA playoff game even as an assistant, Sweeney’s presence has been as reassuring as a favorite blanket.
“I’ve really enjoyed his honesty,” Johnson said. “I’ve enjoyed his competitiveness.”
Sweeney’s contributions have been schematic, designing defenses for individual games as well as devising in-game adjustments on the fly.
Often, Sweeney can be found trailing Johnson by a few feet on the sidelines, directing traffic and barking orders.
His impact goes beyond Xs and Os.
Forward Devin Vassell recalls his first meeting with Sweeney over the summer. The new coach came armed with film from Vassell’s college games at Florida State, demonstrating for the sixth-year pro the defensive player he could still become in the NBA.
“He showed me clips of me at Florida State, the old days,” Vassell said. “Just really emphasizing the defensive end and taking pride in that. He’s really just encouraged us to be special on the defensive end.”
Sweeney knows how to get his point across, players say. Spurs rookie Dylan Harper describes Sweeney as “fiery and funny.”
“He always wants to win,” Harper said. "He always wants us to do the right thing. We all understand where he’s coming from when he’s frustrated or upset.”
When angered, Sweeney’s face can grow as red as the hair on his head. Players learned quickly what makes Sweeney most unhappy.
“When you’re soft,” Champagnie said. “If we know what we’re supposed to do and just don’t do it, he hates that (stuff).”
The deeper the Spurs advance in the playoffs, the higher the likelihood Sweeney is not in San Antonio next season.
An NBA team in search of a head coach is sure to come calling. Sweeney has already been linked to openings in Chicago and Portland.
Spurs players will not be surprised if Sweeney lands one of them.
“A lot of defensive coaches end up being head coaches, especially in the NBA,” guard De’Aaron Fox said. “I think he could do it now.”
Asked to name the qualities that would make Sweeney a successful NBA head coach, Fox chuckled.
“He’s definitely crazy enough,” Fox said.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News