By Michael C. Wright, 2026-06-05 19:00:00
闷热的暑气掩盖了周四下午弗罗斯特银行中心内冷气带来的凉意。在这里，圣安东尼奥马刺队仍在为不到24小时前错失的良机而懊恼：在总决赛第一场比赛中，他们在第四节末段让领先优势溜走了。这也是该队自2014年以来首次登上NBA总决赛的舞台。
对于马刺队的当家超级巨星维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 而言，在纽约尼克斯队取得105-95的胜利之后——这位22岁的年轻人在本场比赛中创下了季后赛生涯新高的失误数（6次）和投篮打铁数（15次）——他收到了一条来自名人堂教练格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 的短信。文班亚马拒绝透露交流的具体细节，但他说明了大概意思。
“意思是说我打得很糟，而我的实力远不止于此，”文班亚马说道。
这场比赛标志着文班亚马在本届季后赛中第三次单场命中率低于30%（当这种情况发生时，马刺队的战绩为0胜3负），而且在第一场比赛的后三节中，他在距离篮筐两英尺以外的13次投篮尝试中仅命中了一球。
文班亚马表示，他“一点也不担心”球队如何从第一场糟糕的表现中反弹，因为正是他们本赛季一路走来的曲折历程，才将他们带到了这里。
在这个除了每天在马刺路1号（1 Spurs Way）训练的成员外、无人能预料到的赛季里，这场失利只是长达102场、充满波折的漫长征程中的又一个转折点。这也是为什么面对这最新一次的逆境，马刺队依然毫无惧色。在他们看来，2025-26赛季艰难旅程的洗礼，已经为他们提供了足够的经验，足以唤醒走出困境所需的斗志和勇气。
“这非常让人安心，”当被问及通过克服如此多挑战而培养出的韧性时，他说道。“我们知道自己来到这里绝非偶然。我们经历过一些非常非常诡异的状况，或者其他各种各样的事情。得知我们这18个家伙都是天生如此、充满韧性，这真的很让人放心。”
圣安东尼奥马刺队本赛季克服了伤病、失利和挫折，一路披荆斩棘杀入总决赛。 ESPN插图
在九月份训练营开始的两天前，整座城市都在热议文班亚马的回归，他因右肩深静脉血栓错过了上赛季最后的36场比赛。同时，人们也对几个月前在榜眼位置被选中的新秀后卫迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 的加入感到兴奋不已。
然而，在这个华氏91度的闷热日子里，疑问依然存在。马刺队刚刚经历了一个仅获得34胜的赛季，而文班亚马自2024-25赛季的2月12日以来就再未上场打球，他刚刚结束了一个充实的夏天——在世界各地奔波，寻找在自己充满前景的职业生涯第三年里从精神和身体上统治赛场的方法。与此同时，哈珀在25天前接受了手术，以修复轻微撕裂的韧带（投篮手大拇指），这让他能否准时参加训练营打上了问号。
甚至连上赛季交易截止日最重磅的引援——老将后卫达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)——也因为在7月份遭遇的大腿后侧肌群拉伤而无法确定能否参加训练营的开局。
在这片混乱之中，马刺队总经理布莱恩·莱特 (Brian Wright) 依然对他的团队充满信心。
“我觉得我们有机会，伙计，”莱特告诉ESPN。
“去年当我们的阵容完整时，你就能看到闪光点，”他说道。“而且我们的大多数队员都非常年轻。你唯一可以指望的就是进步，无论是维克托、斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 [Stephon Castle]，还是凯尔登·约翰逊 [Keldon Johnson] 和德文·瓦塞尔 [Devin Vassell]。还有朱利安·尚帕尼 [Julian Champagnie]。他们仍在成长。随着我们现有球员的蜕变，再加上福克斯这种级别的球员在休赛期加盟，我们确实有机会与联盟中所有的顶尖球队一较高下。显然，你必须付出努力。但我们相信我们拥有的这个团队。”
在那个时候，哈珀和同届新秀卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant) 还没有在NBA打过哪怕一分钟比赛。
这一切首先始于主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson)，他在2024年11月波波维奇中风后临危受命，担任临时主教练。约翰逊在没有完整助理教练团队的情况下执教了77场比赛，“有时，只是想熬过这一天，”他说道。他带领着年轻的马刺队度过了一个又一个难关，从上赛季洛杉矶客场之旅期间席卷南加州的野火，到文班亚马被诊断出深静脉血栓。
据消息人士透露，在那些时刻，约翰逊“没有退缩”。这让俱乐部内部的人眼前一亮，开始思考如果给这位首次担任主教练的年轻人足够的时间，让他用自己的方式以及完整的助教团队来塑造球队的方向，他会展现出怎样的潜力。
当管理层向约翰逊传达他将正式接替这位五届总冠军教头、三届NBA年度最佳教练的消息时，波波维奇也在房间里。
“从十月到现在，对于我所经历的一切，[波波维奇]都是一个非常好的智囊，”约翰逊说道。“如果没有他一直作为我的坚强后盾，我不可能建立起更好的节奏或体系。同时，他也完全给了我自由和空间，让我能够按照自己的想法，以我自己的方式去推进工作。这非常宝贵。我不知道是否有人曾获得过我今年拥有的这种机会。我绝不会认为这是理所当然的。我深知他所带来的影响，同时也感激他放手让我做自己。”
马刺队前锋朱利安·尚帕尼在本赛季直到12月31日战胜尼克斯队的比赛后，才坐稳了首发位置。 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
本赛季第一个起到激励作用的举措出现在面对一个老对手时。尚帕尼在圣安东尼奥前32场比赛中首发了18场，但直到跨年夜主场对阵尼克斯队的比赛中，他才永久性地取代了34岁的2015年NBA总冠军成员哈里森·巴恩斯 (Harrison Barnes) 成为首发。这位土生土长的纽约布鲁克林人在马刺队的一场逆转胜利中狂砍36分，创下了这位24岁球员的职业生涯得分新高。
这一调整以及随后的表现，成为了圣安东尼奥本赛季的转折点之一。就在几周前的12月16日，年轻的马刺队在拉斯维加斯举行的NBA杯决赛中输给了尼克斯队。对于队里的大多数球员来说，那场124-113的失利是他们职业生涯迄今为止最重大的一场比赛。
为了晋级决赛，圣安东尼奥在NBA杯半决赛中击败了俄克拉荷马城雷霆队，这也是他们在12天内对阵这支卫冕冠军取得的三场胜利中的第一场，其中包括在圣诞节当天在佩科姆中心 (Paycom Center) 取得的一场15分大胜。
当然，纽约再次插手，给圣安东尼奥的赛季带来了另一个转折点。3月1日，尼克斯队在麦迪逊广场花园以114-89的大比分横扫马刺，终结了他们的11连胜。
“我觉得输给尼克斯对我们来说是件好事，”福克斯告诉ESPN。“我们当时已经取得了[11]连胜。你处于兴奋状态，感觉自我良好，然后被狠狠揍了一顿，我们对此进行了讨论。这对我们有好处。我们重整旗鼓，然后再次开启了连胜。对我们来说，这让大家贴得更近。在拉斯维加斯的经历，我认为我们能打进拉斯维加斯对我们也很棒。这让我们共同成长，并让我们知道我们是有机会的。在洛杉矶击败湖人队[12月10日，在四连客的尾声]，然后击败雷霆队，这才是真正让这支球队更上一层楼的原因。”
在3月1日输给纽约之后，马刺队在常规赛剩余的比赛中仅输了4场，同时斩获了19场胜利，其中包括3月14日至4月2日期间的一波11连胜。
“他们正在我们的眼皮底下成长，”莱特当时说道。
圣安东尼奥在季后赛中面临了更多艰难时刻。在对阵波特兰开拓者队的首轮第二场比赛中，文班亚马遭遇脑震荡，导致他因进入脑震荡保护协议而错过了第三场比赛。马刺队以4-1赢下了那个系列赛，但在下一轮的首场比赛中，他们在主场以102-104不敌明尼苏达森林狼队。在第三场比赛取得2-1的大比分领先之后，文班亚马在第四场比赛中仅打了12分钟，就因为在第二节肘击纳兹·里德 (Naz Reid) 的下巴而被驱逐出场，马刺队最终以109-114落败，系列赛大比分被扳平。不过，马刺队最终在六场比赛中胜出。
在对阵俄克拉荷马城的西部决赛中，福克斯错过了前两场比赛。哈珀在第二场比赛的第三节遭遇了右侧内收肌拉伤。尽管圣安东尼奥在面对卫冕冠军俄克拉荷马城时大比分2-3落后，在本届季后赛中首次面临被淘汰的境地，但马刺队奋起直追，在主场赢下了第六场，并在客场赢下了第七场抢七大战。在决定性的第七场比赛中，哈珀和福克斯联手贡献了27分。
但马刺队本赛季在与尼克斯队的四次交锋中输掉了三场。
“我们给自己留下了很多需要改进的比赛环节，”周四球队录像分析课结束后，约翰逊说道。“不需要看太多录像或进行太深挖，就能发现[关于]二次进攻得分的问题。这显然是其中之一。16次助攻根本无法体现这支球队的风格，无论是在我来到这里之后，还是在我之前的几十年里。”
波波维奇在近30年的主教练生涯中确立了“马刺之道”，其特点是无私的打法和令人惊叹的传导球。在球队2014年上一次打进NBA总决赛时，这种风格让球迷们如痴如醉，当时圣安东尼奥在五场比赛内便将迈阿密热火队淘汰出局。
在对阵纽约的第一场比赛中，圣安东尼奥得到的16次助攻是球队自2022年以来的最低值。此前，他们曾创下连续237场比赛至少送出20次助攻的纪录，这一纪录在11月下旬被打破。与此同时，约翰逊所说的二次进攻得分（纽约在这项数据上以23-14占优）在第一场比赛的末段激发了尼克斯队的攻势。
然而，在周四，身披银黑战袍的马刺成员中，似乎没有人对周五的第二场比赛感到过度担忧。
“我不知道这是不是因为我们年轻气盛，”卡斯尔说道。“这可能更多是由于我们的性格使然。我不认为我们会改变这种状态，无论我们有多年轻，我们都对彼此充满信心。在任何情况下，我们都会将其转化为我们的优势。我们对这支球队、教练组和整个俱乐部充满信心。我觉得维克托说得最好：我不认为我们有什么可担心的。我们觉得我们是更好的那支球队。”
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：San Antonio Spurs' NBA Finals path has built them for this moment
San Antonio Spurs’ NBA Finals path has built them for this moment
A SWELTERING MUGGINESS masked the air-conditioned chill Thursday afternoon inside Frost Bank Center, where the San Antonio Spurs were reeling from an opportunity lost less than 24 hours prior: letting a late fourth-quarter lead slip away in Game 1 of the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 2014.
For Spurs franchise superstar Victor Wembanyama, the aftermath of the New York Knicks’ 105-95 victory – the 22-year-old finished with playoff career highs in turnovers (six) and missed shots (15) – featured a text message from Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich. Wembanyama declined to divulge details of the exchange, but he provided the gist.
“It was that I’ve been bad, and I’m better than this,” Wembanyama said.
The game marked the third time this postseason that Wembanyama shot worse than 30% (the Spurs are 0-3 when that happens), while sinking only one of his 13 attempts outside two feet in the final three quarters of Game 1.
Wembanyama said he isn’t “worried in the slightest” about how the team might rebound from a lousy Game 1 performance because of its winding journey throughout the season that brought them here.
In a season that nobody saw coming outside of the team that trains every day at 1 Spurs Way, the loss served as just one more inflection point along a 102-game odyssey chock full of them. It’s why the Spurs remain undaunted in the face of this latest bout with adversity. The way they see it, the rigors of their 2025-26 journey provided more than enough experience to conjure the moxie necessary to dig out of this hole.
“It’s very reassuring,” he said when asked about the team’s resilience born from overcoming so many challenges. “We know we’re not here by chance. We’ve been through some weird, weird, situations [or] whatever. It’s reassuring to know that these guys, the 18 guys we’ve got, are built this way. [They] are resilient.”
The San Antonio Spurs overcame injuries, losses and setbacks this season but pushed through to reach the Finals. ESPN Illustration
TWO DAYS BEFORE the start of training camp in September, the city was buzzing about the return of Wembanyama, who had missed the final 36 games of the previous season due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. Excitement also percolated around the addition of rookie guard Dylan Harper, who was selected No. 2 months earlier.
Still, questions lingered on that steamy 91-degree degree day. The Spurs were coming off a 34-win season, and Wembanyama hadn’t played since Feb. 12 of the 2024-25 season and had just returned from a whirlwind summer jet-setting the globe searching for ways, mentally and physically, to dominate in Year 3 of a promising career. Harper, meanwhile, had undergone surgery 25 days before to repair a partially torn ligament in his shooting thumb, leaving him iffy to start camp.
Even veteran guard De’Aaron Fox, the prized acquisition at last season’s trade deadline, was uncertain for the start of camp due to a strained hamstring suffered in July.
Amid all the chaos, Spurs general manager Brian Wright remained confident in his group.
“I think we’ve got a chance, man,” Wright told ESPN.
“When we were whole last year you saw flashes of it,” he said. “And the bulk of our group is incredibly young. The one thing you could bank on was improvement, whether that be Vic, Steph [Castle], as well as Keldon [Johnson] and Devin [Vassell]. There’s Julian [Champagnie], too. They’re still growing. Just with the evolution of the guys we have and then someone of Fox’s caliber being here in the offseason, there’s a real chance we could match up and play with all the teams at the top of the league. Obviously, you’ve got to do the work. But we believe in the group we have.”
At the time, Harper and fellow rookie Carter Bryant hadn’t played a single minute in the NBA.
That all started first with coach Mitch Johnson, who filled in as interim coach for Popovich in November 2024 after he suffered a stroke. Johnson coached 77 games without a full staff of assistants, “just trying to get through the day, sometimes,” he said, navigating the young Spurs through situations ranging from the wildfires that swept through Southern California last season on a road trip in Los Angeles, to Wembanyama’s diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis.
In those moments, Johnson “didn’t flinch,” according to a source. That opened the eyes of people within the organization to ponder the prospects of the first-time head coach’s potential if given the time to shape the team’s direction in his own way with a full staff of assistants.
Popovich was in the room when the brass delivered the news to Johnson that he would be succeeding the five-time champion coach and three-time NBA Coach of the Year on a full-time basis.
“[Popovich is] a pretty good resource for what I’ve been walking through, since October and up until now,” Johnson said. “I could not have created a better rhythm or build without him being a constant resource for me, but then also totally giving me the freedom and runway to try to roll this thing out in my own reflection as myself. That’s pretty valuable. I don’t know if anyone’s ever had the opportunity that I’ve had this year. I don’t take that for granted. It’s not lost on me the impact he’s had, while also empowering me to be myself.”
Spurs forward Julian Champagnie did not permanently move into the starting lineup this season until a Dec. 31 win over the Knicks. Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
THE FIRST GALVANIZING move of this season came against a familiar foe. Champagnie had started in 18 of San Antonio’s first 32 games but didn’t move into the starting lineup over 2015 NBA champion Harrison Barnes, 34, permanently until New Year’s Eve, coincidentally, in a home matchup against the Knicks. The Brooklyn, New York, native delivered a 36-point heater in a Spurs comeback victory, a career high in scoring for the 24-year-old.
The move and subsequent performance served as one of the inflection points in San Antonio’s season. A few weeks prior, the young Spurs fell to the Knicks in the championship of the NBA Cup in Las Vegas on Dec. 16. For most of the team, that 124-113 loss ranked as the biggest game of their careers up to that point.
To get there, San Antonio had dropped Oklahoma City in the semifinals of the NBA Cup, marking the first of three victories over the defending champions over a span of 12 days, including a 15-point triumph on Christmas Day at Paycom Center.
Of course, New York would butt in again with another inflection point to San Antonio’s season. The Knicks halted an 11-game winning streak on March 1 with a dominating 114-89 rout at Madison Square Garden.
“Us losing to the Knicks, I think was great for us,” Fox told ESPN. “We had won [11] games in a row. You’re on a high, feeling yourselves, get your ass kicked, and we talked about it. It was good for us. We come back, and we go on a winning streak again. For us, that brings you closer together. Being in Vegas, I think us making it to Vegas was also great for us. That allowed us to grow together, and it allowed us to know that we have a chance at this. Beating the Lakers in L.A. [on Dec. 10 at the end of a four-game road trip] and then beating OKC, that’s what really kind of ramped this team up even more.”
After the March 1 defeat at New York, the Spurs would finish the regular season losing just four more times while stacking another 19 victories, including 11 in a row from March 14 to April 2.
“They’re growing up right before our eyes,” Wright said at the time.
San Antonio faced more tough times in the postseason, when Wembanyama suffered a concussion in Game 2 of the opening round against the Portland Trail Blazers that forced him to miss Game 3 while in concussion protocol. The Spurs won that series 4-1 but opened the next round with a 104-102 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at home. After taking a 2-1 series lead in Game 3, Wembanyama played just 12 minutes in Game 4 after being ejected in the second quarter for elbowing Naz Reid in the jaw as the Spurs fell 114-109 to even the series. However, the Spurs prevailed in six games.
Fox missed the first two games of the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City. Harper suffered a right adductor strain in the third quarter of Game 2. Despite San Antonio falling behind 3-2 against defending champ Oklahoma City to face elimination for the first time in this postseason, the Spurs rallied to win Game 6 at home and Game 7 on the road. Harper and Fox combined for 27 points in the decisive Game 7.
But the Spurs have lost three of four matchups this season against the Knicks.
“We gave ourselves a lot of aspects of the game we need to improve,” Johnson said Thursday after the team’s film session. “It didn’t take too much film or too deep of a dig to find the second-chance points [issue]. It’s clearly one of them. Sixteen assists is not a reflection of this program ever since I’ve been here, and decades before I was.”
Popovich established the “Spurs Way” during an almost 30-year run as head coach that featured unselfish play and eye-popping ball movement. It captivated fans during the team’s last NBA Finals appearance in 2014, when San Antonio bounced the Miami Heat in five games.
San Antonio’s 16 assists in Game 1 against New York were the team’s fewest since 2022 after it ran off a string of 237 consecutive games with at least 20 assists that was broken in late November. Meanwhile, the second-chance points (New York won that battle 23-14) Johnson described galvanized the Knicks’ late run in Game 1.
Yet, nobody donning silver and black on Thursday seemed overly concerned heading into Friday’s Game 2.
“I don’t know if that’s our youth talking,” Castle said. “It might just be more of what our character is like. I don’t think we’ll ever change from being this way, having the kind of confidence [we have] in each other, no matter how young we are. [We’re] using that to our advantage, [in] any kind of situation. We have nothing but confidence in this team, in this staff, in this organization. I think Vic said it best: I don’t think we have anything to be worried about. We feel like we’re the better team.”
By Michael C. Wright, via ESPN