By Marcus Thompson II | The Athletic, 2026-05-26 09:30:14
圣安东尼奥——谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 在回答问题前往往会思考片刻。他需要花点时间来组织语言，以便让自己显得既深思熟虑、精于计算，又坦诚且神秘。
但在周日圣安东尼奥马刺队赢下第四战并将大比分扳平后，当被问及如何让切特·霍姆格伦 (Chet Holmgren) 找到状态时，SGA（吉尔杰斯-亚历山大）在开口前的思考时间明显变长了。在那些“嗯……”的停顿之间，沉默犹如宣判有罪的法槌般沉重敲击。他摩挲着下巴，眯起双眼，在脑海中苦苦搜寻着词汇。
吉尔杰斯-亚历山大花了整整14秒，才想出如何让霍姆格伦更多参与进攻的答案。
“我的意思是，切特是一个很容易找到的目标，”这位两届MVP最终说道，“所以，可能就是更多地在扣篮位（dunker spot）找到他，或者在他拉开空间时找到他。就是把他放在更好的位置上，发挥他作为进攻天才的优势。嗯，我还不确定具体要怎么做，因为我才刚打完比赛。但通过看录像，我们肯定能找到办法。”
瞧，这其实并不难。
然而，这并不是真正的答案。SGA自己也心知肚明。
这并不是要强加给他未曾说过的话，而是要承认SGA在篮球层面的过人智慧。正如我们所深切感受到的，他深谙职业球员的生存之道。仅仅把霍姆格伦放在球场的特定位置，并不能魔术般地解决他的挣扎。场上定位显然无法解释为什么霍姆格伦在本系列赛中场均仅得到11.3分，投篮命中率仅为46.9%——这比他常规赛的场均得分低了6分，命中率也下降了近10个百分点。与上一轮对阵洛杉矶湖人队时的表现相比，他目前的产出更是惨不忍睹，当时他场均能以60.8%的命中率砍下20分。
最关键的原因，并没有出现在SGA的回答中。
雷霆队的球员们不会公开坦率地谈论这一点。一方面，他们不是那种会在公开场合互相指责的球队，他们的兄弟情谊有着不同的磨砺方式。另一方面，心照不宣的事情无需多言。而每个人都心知肚明正在发生着什么。
维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 正在彻底压制切特·霍姆格伦。
霍姆格伦不应该因为被文班亚马击败而感到羞耻。输给一个如此独特且具有统治力的球员并不可耻，毕竟马刺球迷为了看他打球，甚至会打扮得像电影《火星人玩转地球》（Mars Attacks）里的群众演员一样。
但在这场竹竿型大个子的对决中——在这个内线存在感越来越取决于臂展长度而非身体厚度的时代——霍姆格伦在文班亚马的阴影下正逐渐隐形。杰伦·威廉姆斯 (Jalen Williams) 的缺阵，以及第四战中失去阿杰·米切尔 (Ajay Mitchell) ，让俄克拉荷马雷霆队面临的这一现实变得无比刺眼。
雷霆队的问题在于：霍姆格伦还没能让这成为一场真正的对决，至少配不上最佳阵容（All-NBA）级别球员之间的强强对话。
但随着西部决赛现在演变为三局两胜的系列赛，且雷霆队重新夺回主场优势，霍姆格伦仍有机会留下自己的印记。雷霆需要他去和文班展开真正的对决。
霍姆格伦在第三战中最高仅得到14分。在俄克拉荷马城（OKC）输掉的两场比赛中，他总共15投5中仅得18分。在本系列赛中，他的得分甚至落后于亚历克斯·卡鲁索 (Alex Caruso) 和贾里德·麦凯恩 (Jared McCain)。霍姆格伦的出手次数仅比凯森·华莱士 (Cason Wallace) 多了4次。替补内线杰林·威廉姆斯 (Jaylin Williams) 投进的三分球数（8个）几乎和霍姆格伦的总三分出手数（9次）一样多。虽然霍姆格伦在本系列赛中的内线触球次数领跑全队，但他的每次内线触球得分仅排在队内第八。
霍姆格伦之所以能入选最佳阵容第三阵，是因为他对俄克拉荷马城攻防两端的影响力至关重要。我们知道他有这个实力。
是时候反击了，切特。就这么简单。
“我觉得无论我在场上做什么，”霍姆格伦在第四战后表示，“我总是对自己有更高的期望，期待自己做得更好。我能看到比赛中有很多机会，我必须做得更好并把握住它们，我会竭尽全力去做到这一点。”
通常，这种面对面的直接对比都过于简化了。由于优势、位置和战术体系的不同，它们往往只是流于表面的争论——就像本系列赛将MVP候选人文班和SGA对立起来一样。这实际上是在衡量谁更擅长统治比赛，因为这两者在场上直接交手的机会并不多，无法构成真正意义上的正面对决。
但文班亚马和霍姆格伦呢？他们都司职前场，并且在比赛的大部分时间里都对位同一个位置。他们也有着恩怨历史，这段宿敌关系可以追溯到他们青少年时期作为天才球员在国际篮联（FIBA）赛场上的交锋。更重要的是，文班亚马对霍姆格伦展现出赤裸裸的竞争侵略性，让两人的对决变得极具话题性。
霍姆格伦似乎在第四战开局时就准备好迎接这种对抗强度了。开场还不到90秒，在华莱士突破时，他本能地做出了一个45度切入。华莱士迎着文班亚马突破，随后将球分给了顺下的这位7英尺长人。文班亚马迅速补防，转瞬之间，两人在场上迎来了正面对决的时刻。
值得赞扬的是，霍姆格伦没有退缩。他做了他该做的事：试图把文班亚马扣进篮筐。霍姆格伦在合理冲撞区外双手起跳，试图隔扣这位新科年度最佳防守球员（DPOY）。
但文班很清楚是谁想把他当成海报背景。他绝不会错过任何一个与霍姆格伦交手的机会——无论是在弧顶单挑霍姆格伦，还是封盖霍姆格伦对篮筐的冲击。
文班亚马封盖了这次扣篮，自己也摔倒在木地板上。躺在地上时，他高高举起了右拳。
但对俄克拉荷马城来说，关键在于什么？在于霍姆格伦主动找他对抗。他不能停止这样做。据NBA Courtside统计，在前四场比赛中，霍姆格伦在文班亚马防守下仅出手了5次。相反，文班亚马在第一场比赛中面对霍姆格伦时9投4中——尽管在过去三场比赛中，这一数据下降到了面对霍姆格伦3投0中。
他不能甘心只做一个配角。他不能在这轮系列赛中失去存在感。他必须缩小自己与文班之间的差距。
系列赛进行到这个阶段，战术针对性和彼此的熟悉度开始让角色球员的作用大打折扣。卡鲁索在前三场比赛中空位三分球18投12中，表现出色到足以让人考虑将他列入分区决赛MVP的候选讨论中。但在第四战中，他在上场的14分钟里仅出手一次且未能命中。麦凯恩在第三战大放异彩后，遭遇了其年轻职业生涯中堪称最糟糕的投篮表现，三分球5投0中，全场10投仅1中。但事实是，他们已经尽到了自己的职责。
第五战将充满巨大的压力。胜负的筹码拉满了对抗强度。这类比赛往往需要更高的水准。球星必须挺身而出。
霍姆格伦就是明星。为了雷霆队的卫冕，为了俄克拉荷马城王朝的延续，他必须像明星一样闪耀。
“除了赢球，切特不在乎任何事情，他会不惜一切代价去争取胜利，”吉尔杰斯-亚历山大说道，“这是他最大的特质……没有自负，没有个人算盘，除了上场赢球什么都不想。我毫不怀疑切特会上场倾其所有，付出全部努力。这也是你对球员唯一的期望：上场拼尽全力，然后静待结果。”
霍姆格伦不应该受到谴责。这轮系列赛不能被看作是对他能力的最终裁决。糟糕的系列赛在所难免，某些对位确实会带来真正的麻烦。在23岁的年纪，他未来可能还会经历几次这样艰难的系列赛。
但这并不会减少雷霆现在对他的迫切需求。仅仅在文班亚马下场休息时才提升侵略性是远远不够的。那每场比赛只有区区9分钟，而且随着系列赛的深入，这个时间很可能会进一步缩短。
不，霍姆格伦必须在文班亚马在场时打出统治力——哪怕这意味着他必须在文班亚马的防守下强硬得分。
这，正是SGA在那段耐人寻味的漫长停顿中没有说出口的话。
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：Thunder need Chet Holmgren to fight back against Victor Wembanyama
Thunder need Chet Holmgren to fight back against Victor Wembanyama
SAN ANTONIO — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tends to think for a beat before answering. It takes a moment to conjure how to be simultaneously thoughtful, calculated, transparent and mysterious.
But when asked about how to get Chet Holmgren going, after the San Antonio Spurs’ Game 4 win Sunday to even the series, SGA’s pre-answer processing lasted noticeably longer. The silence between “ums” banged like an indicting gavel. He rubbed his chin and squinted his eyes while rummaging his mind for the words.
It took 14 seconds for Gilgeous-Alexander to find his answer for increasing Holmgren’s involvement on offense.
“I mean, Chet’s an easy target to find,” the two-time MVP said eventually. “So, probably just, like, finding him more in the dunker (spot), and when he’s spacing. Just put him in better positions to use his strengths as an offensive talent. Um, I don’t know exactly what that looks like because I just got done playing. But watching film, we’ll find ways for sure.”
See, that wasn’t so hard.
Except that wasn’t the answer. And SGA knows it wasn’t.
That’s not to put words in his mouth he never uttered, but instead to acknowledge SGA’s genius as it pertains to hoop. As we were made acutely aware, he knows what a pro needs. Putting Holmgren in particular spots on the floor won’t magically solve his struggles. Positioning certainly doesn’t explain why Holmgren’s averaging 11.3 points on 46.9 percent shooting in this series — which is a 6-point drop in scoring and a near 10 percent drop in field goal percentage from his regular-season averages. His current production looks even worse compared with the last series against the Los Angeles Lakers, when he averaged 20 points on 60.8 percent shooting.
The biggest reason did not make SGA’s answer.
The Thunder players won’t talk about this candidly. For one, they’re not the kind of team to publicly call out each other. Their brotherhood was fashioned differently. But also because what’s understood doesn’t need to be explained. And everyone understands what’s happening.
Victor Wembanyama is owning Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren shouldn’t be shamed for being outplayed by Wembanyama. No glory gets lost in being bested by a player so unique and transcendent that Spurs fans show up to games dressed like extras in “Mars Attacks.”
But in a battle of slender big men, in this era where post presence is increasingly measured by length as much as girth, Holmgren is disappearing behind Wembanyama. The absence of Jalen Williams — and the loss of Ajay Mitchell for Game 4 — highlights that reality for the Oklahoma City Thunder. In neon.
The Thunder’s problem: Holmgren hasn’t quite made it a battle, not one worthy of a showdown between All-NBA players.
But with the Western Conference finals now a best-of-three series, and the Thunder reclaiming home-court advantage, Holmgren can still leave his imprint. The Thunder needs him to make it a battle against Wemby.
Holmgren topped out at 14 points in Game 3. In OKC’s two losses, he totaled 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting. He’s being outscored in this series by Alex Caruso and Jared McCain. Holmgren’s taken just four more shots than Cason Wallace. Backup big Jaylin Williams made nearly as many 3s (eight) as Holmgren has taken (nine). Holmgren leads the Thunder in paint touches in this series but ranks eighth in points per paint touch.
Holmgren made third-team All-NBA because he’s critical to Oklahoma City’s two-way potency. We know he’s got it in him.
Time to fight back, Chet. Simple as that.
“I think no matter what I do out there,” Holmgren said after Game 4, “I always expect more out of myself, expect better. I can see a lot of opportunities in the game where I have to be better and take advantage of, and I’m gonna do everything I can to do that.”
Often, these head-up comparisons are oversimplifications. Strengths, positions and schemes render them but virtual squabbles — such as how this series pits MVP finalists Wemby and SGA against each other. It’s really a measurement of who is better at dominating because these two don’t face off enough to make an earnest clash.
But Wembanyama and Holmgren? They play in the front court and could play the same position for significant stretches of the game. They also have history, a rivalry that dates to their teenage FIBA battles as touted talents. Even more importantly, Wembanyama makes it a thing with his blatant competitive aggressiveness toward Holmgren.
It seemed Holmgren entered Game 4 ready to match that energy. Not even 90 seconds into the game, he reacted instinctively with a 45 cut on a Wallace drive. Wallace, driving into Wembanyama, made the dish to his slashing 7-footer. Wembanyama rotated, and, in a blink, the game delivered a moment between them.
To his credit, Holmgren didn’t back down. He did what he was supposed to do: try to put Wembanyama in the rim. Holmgren took off outside the restricted area with two hands and tried to dunk over the freshly minted Defensive Player of the Year.
But Wemby knew exactly who was trying to put him on a poster. He hasn’t missed a moment to dance with Holmgren — whether he’s isolated on Holmgren at the top or challenging Holmgren’s attacks on the rim.
Wembanyama blocked the dunk, falling back onto the hardwood. While he was down, he raised his right fist in the air.
But the key for Oklahoma City? Holmgren went at him. He can’t stop doing that. Holmgren, according to NBA Courtside, took just five shots with Wembanyama as the defender in the first four games. Conversely, Wembanyama went 4-of-9 against Holmgren in Game 1 — though that’s been reduced to 0-of-3 against Holmgren over the last three games.
He can’t settle for being a complementary player. He can’t be taken out of this series. He’s gotta close the gap between him and Wemby.
This series heads to territories where game plans and familiarity start solving role players. Caruso played well enough to garner conference finals MVP consideration after making 12 of 18 wide-open 3s in the first three games. But in Game 4, he missed the only shot he took in 14 minutes of action. Jared McCain, after dazzling in Game 3, had arguably the worst shooting performance of his young career, missing all five of his 3s while shooting 1 of 10 from the field. But the truth is, they’ve done their part.
Game 5 overflows with pressure. The stakes ratchet up the intensity. These games tend to require a higher level. Stars must shine.
Holmgren is a star. He must, for the sake of the Thunder’s repeat, for the continued construction of the Oklahoma City dynasty, shine like one.
“Chet doesn’t care about anything besides winning, and he’s gonna do what it takes to win,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s his biggest skill … no ego. No agenda. No nothing besides trying to go out there and win. I have no doubt in my mind that Chet will go out there and give the game his all and put (in) his full effort. And that’s all you can ask from guys. Go out there and give it their all and see where it takes.”
Holmgren doesn’t deserve condemnation. This series can’t be considered a referendum of any kind. Rough series happen. Some matchups present real problems. At 23, he might have a few more of these rough ones.
But it doesn’t lessen the Thunder’s need for him now. And it’s not enough to turn up the aggressiveness when Wembanyama sits. That’s only nine minutes per game and likely to decrease as the series progresses.
No, Holmgren must get his with Wembanyama on the court — even if it means doing it against Wembanyama.
That’s what SGA didn’t say during that pregnant pause.
By Marcus Thompson II, via The Athletic