By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-05-21 13:53:11
2026年5月20日星期三，在俄克拉荷马城佩科姆中心进行的西部决赛第二场第三节比赛中，俄克拉荷马城雷霆队后卫谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) (2) 摔倒在圣安东尼奥马刺队球员身上。
第三场取胜关键
盼望伤员早日康复
通常情况下，取胜关键指的是马刺自己掌控范围内的因素。但这一次并非如此。
没有什么比一套完全健康的控球手阵容更能提升马刺在第三场赢球的机会了。
不幸的是，这在短期内似乎不太可能实现。
霍珀 (Harper) 在周三比赛的第三节因疑似大腿后侧肌群拉伤退场。这是他代替因右踝关节扭伤缺阵的福克斯 (Fox) 进行的第二场季后赛首发。
这使得斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 成为唯一顶在最前线、直面雷霆凶悍压迫性防守的控球手。在这轮系列赛至今，卡斯尔做得好的地方有很多，但控制失误显然不在此列。
两场比赛下来，他已经出现了20次失误，成为马刺失误潮中最严重的“重灾区”，而这股失误潮也一直在为雷霆的进攻提供源源不断的快攻反击机会。
卡斯尔需要一些帮手。
如果福克斯至少能恢复到可以在周五迎来系列赛首秀的程度，那将会有所帮助。目前尚不清楚他能否及时复出。
启用卡特·布莱恩特首发？
如果福克斯和霍珀都无法在第三场出战，主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 在首发阵容的选择上将面临一个有趣的抉择。
他是否会派上经验丰富的稳健型控卫乔丹·麦克劳林 (Jordan McLaughlin)，试图为卡斯尔分担上述的一些控球压力？
或者，约翰逊会选择另一条路线，寻找其他方法来节省卡斯尔的体力？
在这种情况下，约翰逊可能会启用另一位新秀来填补首发空缺。退一步讲，卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant) 已经展现出了防守眼前任何对位球员的意愿和身体素质。
让布莱恩特首发并让他承担防守雷霆球星吉尔杰斯-亚历山大的大部分任务，可以让卡斯尔把精力集中在进攻和控制失误上。
这样的举动自然伴随着风险。年仅20岁的布莱恩特在NBA还没有过任何一次首发出场经历，在亚利桑那大学期间他也仅首发过5次。
尽管如此，在马刺迎来健康后卫回归轮换阵容之前，他们的后场处境已经逼近绝境。这或许是采取一些大胆举措的理由。
限制SGA身边的帮手
雷霆在第二场比赛中迎来了吉尔杰斯-亚历山大如期而至的反弹，他砍下了30分。
而让雷霆变得尤为难以防守的原因，是雷霆其他角色球员的挺身而出。
亚历克斯·卡鲁索 (Alex Caruso) 继第一场砍下31分后，在第二场又贡献了17分并命中3记三分球。他是雷霆阵中得分上双的四名替补球员之一。
雷霆全队共有七名球员得分上双。一旦出现这种情况，雷霆在48分钟的比赛时间里几乎是不可阻挡的。
限制不住吉尔杰斯-亚历山大砍下30分或许还能接受。但要想赢下第三场，马刺需要做得更好，限制住卡鲁索、贾里德·麦凯恩 (Jared McCain) 和卡森·华莱士 (Cason Wallace) 等人的发挥。
杰夫·麦克唐纳 (Jeff McDonald)
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：Spurs vs. Thunder: Game 3 Keys to Victory
Spurs vs. Thunder: Game 3 Keys to Victory
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) falls over San Antonio Spurs during the third quarter of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
GAME 3 KEYS TO VICTORY
Get well soon
Typically, keys to victory are meant to be items within the Spurs’ power. This one is not.
Nothing would enhance the Spurs’ chances of winning Game 3 like a fully healthy contingent of ball-handlers.
Unfortunately, that appears unlikely to happen any time soon.
Harper left Wednesday’s game in the third quarter with what appeared to be a hamstring issue. He was making his second playoff start in place of Fox, who is already out with a right ankle sprain.
It left Stephon Castle as the lone ball-handler in the breach against OKC’s ferocious pressure defense. Castle has done plenty of good things in the series so far, but take care of the ball isn’t one of them.
He has 20 turnovers through two games, the most egregious offender in a giveaway epidemic that has been fueling the Oklahoma City offense.
Castle could use some help.
If Fox could at least heal up enough to make his series debut Friday, that would help. It is unclear if that will be the case.
Start Carter Bryant?
If Fox and Harper cannot play in Game 3, coach Mitch Johnson will face an interesting decision with his starting lineup.
Might he start Jordan McLaughlin, a veteran caretaker of a point guard, in attempts to get Castle some of the aforementioned on-the-ball help?
Or might Johnson opt to go another rout, looking for other ways to conserve Castle’s energy?
In that case, Johnson could turn to another rookie to fill the starting vacancy. If nothing else, Carter Bryant has demonstrated a willingness and physical ability to defend any matchup put in front of him.
Starting Bryant and allowing him to take most of the defensive reps against OKC star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would allow Castle to expend his mental energy focusing on offense and taking care of the ball.
Such a move would come with inherent risk. The 20-year-old Bryant has not started a single game at the NBA level. He only made five starts in college at Arizona.
Still, until the Spurs begin to get healthy guards back in the rotation, their backcourt situation is bordering on desperate. It could be cause for something drastic.
Make SGA’s supporting cast uncomfortable
The Thunder got the expected bounce-back in Game 2 from Gilgeous-Alexander, who went for 30 points.
What made OKC especially difficult to get stopped were the contributions from the Thunder’s other guys.
Alex Caruso followed a 31-point outing in Game 1 with 17 points and three 3-pointers in Game 2. He was one of four bench players to reach double figures for the Thunder.
OKC had seven players reach double figures in all. When that happens, the Thunder become almost impossible to guard for 48 minutes.
A 30-point night from Gilgeous-Alexander is probably survivable. To win Game 3, the Spurs need to do a better job of keeping the likes of Caruso, Jared McCain and Cason Wallace under wraps.
Jeff McDonald
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News