# \[PtR\] 一个非凡且超乎预期的赛季宣告落幕
**URL:** https://chinaspurs.com/t/topic/47642
**Category:** 环球刺讯
**Tags:** 2025-26赛季, 米奇-约翰逊, 迪伦-哈珀, 达龙-福克斯, 维克托-文班亚马, 斯蒂芬-卡斯尔
**Created:** [2026 年6 月 15 日 22:06 UTC](https://chinaspurs.com/t/topic/47642 "2026-06-15T22:06:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### 作者：  [@PtR](https://chinaspurs.com/u/PtR)
#### 发布日期： [2026 年6 月 15 日 22:06 UTC](https://chinaspurs.com/t/topic/47642/1 "2026-06-15T22:06:09Z")
By Lee Dresie | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2026-06-15 18:00:00
在2022-23赛季开始前，我[写过一篇文章](https://chinaspurs.com/t/topic/40196)，探讨了马刺从失利中学习的重要性。文章的标题是《在一个马刺赢球不会太多的赛季里，去寻找微小的胜利》。在文章的结尾，我写道：
> 在我们的生活中，以及在看着这支马刺队在本赛季艰难前行的过程中，让我们都试着去拥抱那些微小的胜利，即使它们并不总能转化为积分榜上的胜场。
当然，那个输球不断的赛季最终在选秀抽签仪式上迎来了一场巨大的胜利——马刺抽中了NBA选秀的状元签。随后，他们聪明地选择了一位高个子法国球员，而不是斯库特·亨德森 (Scoot Henderson)。时光飞逝，在2025-26赛季开始前，我撰写了[一篇文章](https://chinaspurs.com/t/topic/43017)分析西部联盟的竞争格局，并在结尾写道：
> 虽然2025-26赛季的马刺现实地看无法指望挑战去年的前五名，但他们可以将目光投向接下来的三支球队，以及附加赛的败者独行侠和国王。
>
> 让我们把目标定在西部第6。然后或许在季后赛首轮对阵快船。这听起来靠谱吗？
在2025年9月，这听起来确实挺靠谱，而且不仅仅是我一个人这么想。拉斯维加斯给马刺开出的胜场预测（Over/Under）是43.5胜，勉强超过五成胜率。而2025-26赛季的实际积分榜显示，43或44胜只能让马刺排在西部第7。这意味着，如果这支理论上拿到43胜的马刺赢下了附加赛，他们将在首轮对阵西部第2。
再看看赛季实际结束后的积分榜，我们那支43胜的马刺队将在季后赛首轮对阵……圣安东尼奥马刺队——他们实际打出了62胜20负的战绩，而不是拉斯维加斯预测的43.5胜。在这场理论上的首轮对决中，我绝对会预测马刺胜出。毕竟，如果系列赛打满，他们将在全部7场比赛中都拥有主场优势。
当然，这支马刺队是那支斩获62胜的超级强权，而不是那支勉强过半胜率、甚至需要通过附加赛才能挤进“真正”季后赛的球队。而这支超级强权在通往总决赛的道路上，历经了首轮对阵开拓者时维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 的脑震荡伤退、次轮对阵森林狼时维克托的被驱逐出场，以及在面对卫冕冠军时一度2-3落后——包括在俄克拉荷马城（OKC）进行的一场“赢球或回家”的抢七大战。
那么，为什么我现在感觉如此糟糕呢？答案很简单——马刺本可以、也本应该赢得总冠军。但他们没有，这让人痛心。一旦他们打进总决赛，所有季前那些过于悲观的预测、所有季后赛的艰难险阻，以及所有专家口中“他们太年轻”的论调，全都被抛到了九霄云外。马刺站在了总决赛的舞台上，每场比赛都曾领先达到两位数，这轮总决赛本可以轻松演变成一场5场解决战斗的马刺加冕礼，而不是如今我们看到的结局。
对我而言，最痛苦的时刻是在第四场比赛之后。当第五场比赛以及总决赛尘埃落定时，我才意识到自己已经在周三晚上失眠时耗尽了所有的焦虑。在第四场那场如同慢动作般展开的噩梦之后，我实在无法在这么短的时间内再次积聚起同等程度的焦虑。周六晚上总决赛过早地画上句号后，我睡得还算安稳。周日上午，我起床去打周日晨光篮球赛，将自己沉浸在球场上——传球、投篮、努力防守，只是和我的球友们待在一起。那是我的避港湾，我的圣殿。重新站在篮球场上的感觉真好。
周日上午打完球开车回家的路上，我母亲从俄勒冈州打来电话。我们每个周日上午都会通电话。她说她读到了很多批评米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 的言论。我告诉了她两件事。
第一，我告诉她，周三之后我什么都没读——甚至连《砸石之声》（Pounding the Rock）都没看。我亲眼看了第四场比赛，不需要（也不想）去阅读任何关于周三晚上到底出了什么差错才导致那个结果的报道。
第二，我告诉她，当那些“键盘侠”专家对教练的决定指手画脚时，我觉得既好笑又气愤。我曾待过更衣室、参加过教练会议、经历过数百次训练、参与过紧张的中场战术调整，也曾在比赛期间坐在替补席上。我不明白，那些没有任何这类经历的人，怎么会认为自己比那些与这支马刺队朝夕相处、并以此为全职工作的人更懂球。
甚至连一些前球员，其中不乏名人堂成员，也患有这种“我更懂”的通病。在第五场比赛的中场休息时，其中一位名人堂成员表示，马刺在下半场不应该让达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 上场。这到底是什么意思？难道要让斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 和迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 在下半场各自打满24分钟吗？当然不可能。顺便提一句，查克 (Chuck) 显然认为应该在下半场打满24分钟的这两位后卫之一，在同一场比赛的上半场一球未进，并且在比赛的前47分钟里没有投中任何一个球。查克，你还是老老实实当你的评论员吧，当教练可没那么简单。
最后一个想法：马刺最痛苦的失利，甚至比在麦迪逊广场花园输掉的第四场还要糟糕的，是2013年雷·阿伦 (Ray Allen) 投中绝平三分的那场比赛。如果不是马努·吉诺比利 (Manu Ginobili) 和科怀·莱昂纳德 (Kawhi Leonard) 在最后一分钟罚丢了罚球，如果不是热火队打铁后球权出现了一些诡异的弹跳，如果不是阿伦在底角后退中投中的那个三分，马刺在2013年就已经夺冠了。为了下个赛季的重整旗鼓，球队做了什么？他们带回了原班人马。
如果不是因为罚丢了一些罚球和上篮、尼克斯队投进了无数个不讲理的三分、维克托传给卡斯尔的那个“脑后传球”、OG·阿奴诺比 (OG Anunoby) 对福克斯的封盖、唐斯 (KAT) 在第四场最后时刻用指尖蹭到了哈珀传给处于大空位的卡斯尔的传球，以及其他多到无法在此一一列举的诡异事件，今年的这支球队在2026年本该夺冠。为了下个赛季的重整旗鼓，球队应该怎么做？
让我们原班人马再战一年。
_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：The end of a remarkable and unexpected season**
>
> # The end of a remarkable and unexpected season
>
> 
>
> Before the 2022-23 season, I [wrote a piece](https://www.poundingtherock.com/2022/10/17/23408506/watching-for-small-victories-in-a-season-that-wont-feature-many-spurs-wins) about the importance of the Spurs learning from losses. The title was “Watching for small victories in a season that won’t feature many Spurs wins”. I ended the piece with this:
>
> > In our lives, and watching this Spurs team struggle through this season, let’s all try to embrace the small victories, even if they don’t all translate into wins in the standings.
>
> Of course, that season of abundant losses ended with a huge victory at the draft lottery when the Spurs got the top pick in the NBA draft. They then cleverly chose a tall French player instead of Scoot Henderson. Fast forwarding to before the start of the 2025-26 season, I ended [a piece](https://www.poundingtherock.com/general/87547/the-spurs-got-better-this-summer-but-so-did-most-of-the-western-conference) about the strength of the Western Conference with this:
>
> > While the 2025-26 Spurs cannot realistically expect to challenge the top five from last year, they can set their sights on the next three, along with Play-In losers Mavs and Kings.
> >
> > Let’s aim for that 6-spot. And maybe face the Clippers in Round One. Does that sound about right?
>
> That might have sounded right in September 2025, and it was not just me. The Vegas over/under for the Spurs was 43.5 wins, barely over a .500 record. The actual 2025-26 standings reveal that 43 or 44 wins would have gotten the Spurs the 7th spot in the West. That means if the theoretical 43-win Spurs won their Play-In game, they would have matched up with the 2nd seed in the West.
>
> Looking again at the standings as the season actually played out, our 43-win Spurs team would have played the first round of the playoffs against … the San Antonio Spurs, who went 62-20, not the 43.5 wins predicted by Las Vegas. In that theoretical first round match-up, I would definitely have picked the Spurs to win. After all, they would have home-court advantage for all 7 games, if it went that long.
>
> Of course, this Spurs team was the 62-win team juggernaut, not the barely over .500 team that would have had to win a Play-In game to even make it into the “real” playoffs. And the juggernaut team had to survive a Victor Wembanyama concussion against the Blazers in the first round, a Victor ejection against the Timberwolves in the second round, and a 3-2 deficit against the defending champs — including a “win or go home” Game Seven in OKC — to even reach the NBA Finals.
>
> So why do I feel so terrible now? The answer is easy — the Spurs could have and should have won it all. They didn’t, and it hurts. Once they made the Finals, all the way too pessimistic preseason predictions, all the playoff hardship, all the “they are too young” pundits went out the window. The Spurs were in the NBA Finals, led every game by double digits, and the Finals could have easily been a 5-game Spurs coronation instead of what actually happened.
>
> For me, the most pain was after Game Four. When Game Five and the Finals ended, I realized I had spent all my angst not sleeping Wednesday night. I simply could not summon up the same amount of angst so soon after the Game Four slowly unfolding nightmare. I slept OK after the Finals ended way too soon Saturday night, got up Sunday for my Sunday morning hoops, and lost myself on the court —passing, shooting, trying to defend, just hanging with my hoops buddies. My safe spot, my sanctuary. It felt good to be on the basketball court.
>
> On the drive home after the Sunday morning game, my mother called from Oregon. We try to talk every Sunday morning. She said she read a bunch of stuff criticizing Mitch Johnson. I told her two things.
>
> First, I told her I had not read anything — not even Pounding the Rock — after Wednesday. I had watched Game Four and didn’t need to (and didn’t want to) read about all the things that went wrong on Wednesday night that led to that result.
>
> Second, I told her that I find it amusing/infuriating when arm-chair pundits criticize coaching decisions. I have been in locker rooms, coaches’ meetings, hundreds of practices, intense halftime strategy sessions, and on the bench during games. I don’t understand how people who have not had any of those experiences believe they know better than the people who have — with this Spurs team — and who do this as their full-time jobs.
>
> Even ex-players, some who are Hall-of-Famers, have this disease of “knowing better”. At halftime of Game Five, one of those Hall-of-Famers said that the Spurs should not play De’Aaron Fox in the second half. What does that even mean? Were Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper supposed to each play 24 minutes in the second half? Of course not. In related news, one of the two guards Chuck apparently thought should play all 24 minutes in the second half had zero baskets in the first half of that very game and did not make a single basket in the first 47 minutes. Stick to being a commentator, Chuck. Coaching is hard.
>
> One final thought: The Spurs’ most painful loss, even worse than Game Four in Madison Square Garden, was the Ray Allen game in 2013. Absent missed free throws by Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard in the last minute, some funky bounces on Heat bricks, and Allen’s back-pedaling three from the corner, the Spurs would have been champions in 2013. What did the team do to re-tool for the next season? They brought back the entire team.
>
> This year’s team would have been champions in 2026 absent some missed free throws and lay-ups, numerous crazy threes from the Knicks, Victor’s “back-pass” to Castle, OG Anunoby’s block on Fox, KAT’s fingertip on Harper’s pass to a wide open Castle at the end of Game Four, and too many other weird things to list here. What should the team do to re-tool for next season?
>
> Let’s run it back.
By Lee Dresie, via [Pounding The Rock](https://www.poundingtherock.com/spurs-analysis/105179/the-end-of-a-remarkable-and-unexpected-season)
---
### 作者：  [@PtR](https://chinaspurs.com/u/PtR)
#### 发布日期： [2026 年6 月 15 日 22:15 UTC](https://chinaspurs.com/t/topic/47642/2 "2026-06-15T22:15:19Z")
# 热评
> [@Dantecamp21](#):
>
> 我们的球迷群体似乎分成了两个阵营。
>
> **阵营 A：** 没人料到我们能走到这一步。我们提前打进了总决赛，超出了预期，未来一片光明。
>
> **阵营 B：** 预期已经变了。既然我们已经走到了这里，总冠军就近在咫尺，但我们却眼睁睁看着它溜走了。得有人卷铺盖走人。
>
> 就我个人而言，我介于两者之间。
>
> 阵营 A 可能更接近现实。在赛季开始前，如果我们能预知可以打进总决赛，大多数人绝对会毫不犹豫地接受这个结果。无论从哪个合理的标准来看，这个赛季都取得了巨大的成功。
>
> 但与此同时，我认为阵营 B 提出的观点也不应被完全忽视。
>
> 马刺球迷从莱昂纳德（Kawhi）事件中应该吸取的一个教训是：局势瞬息万变。未来并不会仅仅因为今天看起来光明就得到保证。我们被波波（Pop）、蒂姆（Tim）、托尼（Tony）和马努（Manu）治下长达二十年的稳定性给惯坏了，这让我们产生了一种幻觉，以为事情总会水到渠成。
>
> 事实并非如此。
>
> 夺冠窗口期稍纵即逝。球员的发展可能不如预期。人际关系会变。机会也会随之消失。
>
> 因此，虽然我不赞同那些“解雇米奇（Mitch）并交易福克斯（Fox）”的极端言论，但我也认为，仔细审视总决赛的进程并非无理取闹。一旦你走到了那个舞台，标准就变了。问题不再是这个赛季是否成功。它确实成功了。
>
> 关键在于，这支球队是否做好了准备，去抓住摆在眼前的机会。
>
> 这是一个值得探讨的合理话题。
> [@storytellerdude50](#):
>
> 昨天早上，我 81 岁的姑姑问我（她住在密苏里州圣路易斯地区，纯粹是为了她最疼爱的侄子才为我支持的球队加油）：“一支球队怎么能在领先那么多分的情况下，每次都雷打不动地被逆转，最后输掉比赛呢？！”（她还说她很喜欢看那个高个子打球）。
>
> 我告诉了她两点：
>
> 1. 他们还年轻。马刺可能更有天赋，所以在这 5 场比赛的大部分时间里都处于领先，但在大舞台的压力下，他们还是输给了经验更丰富的对手。
>
> 2. 马刺年轻且愚蠢。上半场球队打得很放松，球在场上不断运转以寻找最佳出手点。然而，当尼克斯看穿了他们的战术并加强身体对抗时，主教练米奇（Mitch）没有做出调整，反而每个马刺球员都决定单干，开始打英雄球，疯狂运球消耗时间，然后强行突破禁区造犯规，或者把球传给在外线站了 15 秒的队友，寄希望于他在最后 3 秒仓促出手投进三分。
>
> 从流畅的传导球退化成了如今这个联盟最让人恶心的“五外”站位。简直让我作呕。
>
> **2-b** 。可悲的是，马刺管理层在交易来福克斯（Fox）之前，并不知道他们能选到哈珀（Harper）。
>
> 福克斯（Fox）就是个灾难。一个在烂队刷数据的家伙。现在他拿着顶薪，未来 4 个赛季左右每年要拿 5000 多万。马刺到底在搞什么鬼？！这份合同绝对会成为沉重的包袱。马刺传统上绝不会这么干！他只是个两次入选全明星（还都是递补）的球员，只进过一次最佳阵容三阵，在加盟马刺前只打过一次季后赛还首轮游，三分球烂得一塌糊涂，关键时刻根本无法组织进攻（我永远想不通为什么哈珀（Harper）没有从分区决赛第一场就开始首发）……
>
> 赶紧送走福克斯（Fox）。裁掉他并使用延伸条款，或者看看有没有哪个冤大头球队愿意交易他，再或者祈祷他受个重伤，好让联盟给马刺一个伤病特例。
>
> 正如伟大的乔丹（Jordan）和科比（Kobe）所说：马刺的这个赛季是失败的。是的，我们打出了一段精彩的征程，球队也收获了乐趣。但如果你没有赢到最后，尤其是离总冠军如此之近却失之交臂，那就谈不上成功。和联盟中其他球队一样，这只是失败。
> 输掉总决赛还不如首轮出局。消耗了那么多额外的精力和体力，最后却两手空空地回家。白白浪费了宝贵的休赛期休息时间，还承担了受伤的风险。
>
> 真是丢脸，马刺居然打不过这样一支球队——他们的市民在纽约街头公然袭击无辜的马刺球迷，甚至还朝我们的超级巨星扔鸡蛋。
>
> 说到这，维克托（Victor）目前还太软了。他是个极具天赋的球员，但他还没准备好。唐斯（KAT）在对抗中完全压制了他，像戈贝尔（Gobert）、约基奇（Jokic）、恩比德（Embiid）、阿德巴约（Bam）这样的家伙只会用身体去欺负他瘦弱的身板。以他的身高还想打后卫，这根本行不通。由于身高和臂展，他的运球高度太高，极易被断。当他在低位时呢？他运球、做假动作，然后投一个后仰跳投。这打的是什么鬼？！
>
> 不管你们怎么反对，维克（Vic）必须学会天勾！把他放在低位，这在当今的比赛中将是完全无解的杀招，他不仅能势不可挡，还能为 1 到 4 号位的队友拉开空间。
>
> 马刺迫切需要一个能防低位且能投三分的 4 号位。此外，今年夏天引进一个优秀的首发 3 号位和替补 3D 球员也至关重要。
>
> 球队、管理层、教练组，当然还有球员们，在这个夏天有太多问题需要解决，有太多工作需要做了。
> [@TL23](#):
>
> “当键盘侠们对教练的决定指手画脚时，我感到既好笑又气愤。”
>
> 这是一个逻辑谬误，典型的“诉诸权威”。诚然，如果作者的意思是普通铁杆球迷——假设作为门外汉，对篮球相当了解——不如职业教练懂得多，那我完全同意。这是毋庸置疑的。米奇（Mitch）忘掉的关于进攻战术、防守落位、场上战术调整等所有战术细节（包括对球员优缺点的细微评估），都比普通球迷一辈子学到的还要多。
>
> 但这是否意味着，当他的球队在葬送 29 分领先优势的过程中连续投丢 8 个三分球，而他却连一个暂停都不叫来阻止这种自毁行为时，就因为米奇“更懂行”，管道工乔 (Joe the Plumber) 或固执己见的大嘴查克 (Chuckster) 就不能批评他了？
>
> 我看未必。
>
> 即使是最伟大的教练也会做出糟糕的决定。（见鬼，在电影里，吉恩·哈克曼 (Gene Hackman) 甚至不打算让吉米·奇特伍德 (Jimmy Chitwood) 执行最后一投，直到他的球员们把他劝明白。）
>
> 而且，其中一些糟糕的决定对非专业人士来说也是显而易见的。篮球教练又不是在研究粒子物理学，这意味着，虽然我们承认他们的知识和经验远超大多数球迷，但他们的决策并非完全超出观众的理解范畴。在当年那个生生夺走马刺总冠军的阿伦（Allen）致命三分球中，波波（Pop）在当时就理所当然地受到了批评，因为当波什（Bosh）抢下关键的进攻篮板并传给外线阿伦投出致命一击时，邓肯（Duncan）正坐在替补席上（当然，他有他的理由：讽刺的是，他想要更快的防守人去防外线三分）。
>
> 当然，如果你对波波（Pop）给海鲈鱼配什么红酒有异议，那你大概率是错的。
>
> 许多球迷的批评确实很愚蠢、无知（字面意思上的无知）且情绪化。即便如此，球迷们完全有理由指出，米奇（Mitch）在这次总决赛中做出了许多糟糕的决定（其中许多是不作为的过失）。
>
> 就像他的球队一样，他很年轻、有天赋，并且会从这些错误中吸取教训。继续前进吧。
_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：**
>
> #
>
> > [@Dantecamp21](#):
> >
> > Our fanbase seems to have split into two camps.
> >
> > **Camp A:** Nobody expected us to be here. We made the Finals ahead of schedule, exceeded expectations, and the future is incredibly bright.
> >
> > **Camp B:** Expectations changed. Once we got here, the championship was right there for the taking, and we let it slip away. Heads should roll.
> >
> > Personally, I fall somewhere in the middle.
> >
> > Camp A is probably closer to reality. Before the season started, most of us would have signed up for a Finals appearance in a heartbeat. This season was a massive success by any reasonable measure.
> >
> > At the same time, I think Camp B raises a point that shouldn’t be dismissed outright.
> >
> > One lesson Spurs fans should have learned from the Kawhi saga is that circumstances change. The future isn’t guaranteed simply because it looks bright today. We were spoiled by two decades of continuity under Pop, Tim, Tony, and Manu, and that can create the illusion that things will always work themselves out.
> >
> > They don’t.
> >
> > Championship windows open and close. Players develop differently than expected. Relationships change. Opportunities disappear.
> >
> > So while I don’t subscribe to the “Fire Mitch and Trade Fox” crowd, I also don’t think it’s unreasonable to scrutinize how the Finals unfolded. Once you reach that stage, the standard changes. The question is no longer whether the season was successful. It was.
> >
> > The question becomes whether the team was prepared to seize the opportunity that was in front of it.
> >
> > That’s a fair discussion to have.
>
> > [@storytellerdude50](#):
> >
> > My 81 year old Aunt asked me yesterday morning, as she had been cheering on my team just for her favorite nephew (in the St. Louis area of MO), “How can a team be up by so many points but consistently lose the lead and eventually the game every time?!” (She also stated she loved watching that tall guy play).
> >
> > I told her two things:
> >
> > 1. They’re young. The Spurs may have been a bit more talented, thus them leading most of the 5 games, but fell under the pressure of the big stage to more experienced players.
> >
> > 2. The Spurs are young and dumb. The first half the team played loose and had the ball moving around the court to find the best shot. However, when the Knicks figured out their game plan and physically pushed back, instead of coach Mitch making adjustments, each Spur decided they would take it upon themselves to play hero ball and dribble a lot wasting the clock, then drive to the lane looking for a foul or passing it out on the perimeter to a guy who had been standing there 15 seconds hoping he’d make a 3 he jacked up with 3 seconds left.
> >
> > Great ball movement to the dreaded 5-out this league mostly plays currently. Makes me want to heave.
> >
> > **2-b**. It’s sad the Spurs’ FO didn’t know they were able to draft Harper before they traded for Fox.
> >
> > Fox is a disaster. A dude who filled up stats on lousy teams. Now he has a max where he’s gonna make 50-million plus the next 4 seasons or so. What in the world Spurs?! That contract will be an albatross for sure. You don’t do this traditionally! He’s a guy who has only made two all-star teams as an alternate both times, made one all-nba 3rd team once, only made the playoffs once before the Spurs and got bounced in the first round, he’s a terrible 3-pt shooter, can’t orchestrate plays in the clutch (why Harper didn’t start since game 1 of the conference finals I’ll never know)…
> >
> > Get rid of Fox. Waive him and stretch his contract, see if another team is inept enough to trade for him, or maybe he gets injured so bad the league gives the Spurs a provision on an injured player.
> >
> > As the great Jordan and Kobe would say: this Spurs season was a failure. Yeah, there was a good run and the team had some fun. If you don’t win it all, especially being that close to the title, then there wasn’t success. Just failure like the rest of the teams in the league.
> > It’s better to be bounced in the first round than lose in the finals. All that extra energy and game play exerted and you go home with NOTHING. Waste of valuable offseason rest. Risk of injury.
> >
> > What an embarrassment that the Spurs couldn’t beat the team whose city’s citizens were out in full force attacking innocent Spurs fans on the streets of New York. Or the egging of the superstar.
> >
> > Speaking of, Victor is just weak at the moment. He’s a gifted ball player. But he’s not ready. KAT man-handled him and guys like Gobert, Jokic, Embiid, Bam are just going to bother his skinny frame. His wanting to be a guard at his height just won’t work. His dribble is too high due to his height and wing-span so the ball can easily be stolen. When he’s in the post? He dribbles, fakes, and shoots a turn around jumper. What in the world is that?!
> >
> > I don’t care about any of your disagreements on this, Vic needs to learn the Sky-Hook! Put him in that post which would be a completely unstoppable move in today’s game, and he won’t be stopped plus the game opens up for players 1 through 4.
> >
> > The Spurs desperately need a 4 who can defend in the post and can be able to shoot the long ball. As well, getting a good starting 3 and a backup 3&D is paramount this summer.
> >
> > The team, front office, coaching staff, and definitely players have a lot to figure out and do this summer.
>
> > [@TL23](#):
> >
> > “I find it amusing/infuriating when arm-chair pundits criticize coaching decisions.”
> >
> > This is a logical fallacy, the classic appeal to authority. Admittedly, I’m right with the author if he means that the average avid fan – let’s assume quite knowledgeable, as a layperson, about basketball – does not know as much as a professional coach. That’s beyond dispute. Mitch has forgotten more about offensive sets, defensive alignments, in-game tactical adjustments, all the X’s and O’s, including granular evaluations of player strengths and weaknesses, than the casual fan has ever learned.
> >
> > Does that therefore mean that when his team takes and misses 8 consecutive three point shots in the process of gagging away a 29 point lead and he fails to call a single T.O. to halt the self-immolation, he is beyond criticism by Joe the Plumber or the opinionated Chuckster because Mitch “knows better”?
> >
> > I think not.
> >
> > Even the greatest coaches make poor decisions. (Heck, Gene Hackman wasn’t going to let Jimmy Chitwood take the final shot until his players talked some sense into him.)
> >
> > And some of those poor decisions can be obvious to non-experts. Basketball coaches are not engaged in particle physics, meaning that while we’ve stipulated that their knowledge and experience vastly exceeds that of most fans, their decision-making is not entirely beyond the comprehension of the spectator. On that fateful Allen three which literally snatched away a Spurs’ championship, Pop was properly subject to criticism – in real time – for having Duncan on the bench (sure, he had his reasons: ironically, he wanted quicker perimeter defenders to cover three point shooters) when Bosh collected the crucial offensive rebound and kicked it out for Allen’s dagger.
> >
> > Now, if you disagree with Pop’s wine pairing for the sea bass, you’re probably wrong.
> >
> > A lot of fan criticism is silly, ignorant (in the literal meaning of that word) and reactionary. That said, fans are quite capable of arguing that Mitch made a number of poor decisions (many of them sins of omission) during these finals.
> >
> > Like his team, he’s young, talented and will learn from those mistakes. Onward.
via [Pounding The Rock](https://www.poundingtherock.com/spurs-analysis/105179/the-end-of-a-remarkable-and-unexpected-season#comments)