By Steven Louis Goldstein | The Athletic, 2026-06-19 11:00:56
维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 的首次季后赛之旅，既是轰动大片，也是成长小说。尽管他所在的圣安东尼奥马刺队在NBA总决赛中不敌命运之子纽约尼克斯队，但他依然让全世界为之着迷，一场接一场，一个系列赛接一个系列赛。
这位“外星人”在这项运动中书写了一段迅速而波澜壮阔的崛起历程。他是2023年的状元秀，随后用一个稳健的最佳新秀赛季兑现了外界的炒作。他第二个赛季的前景因右肩突发血栓而戛然而止。去年夏天，他在少林寺修行。而在刚刚结束的第三个赛季，他被加冕为联盟史上首位全票最佳防守球员。
今年春天，22岁的文班亚马开启了他的首次季后赛征程。他无疑留下了深刻印象。也许当未来的文班亚马手握一把戒指时，2026年的季后赛会显得有些稚嫩。就我们所知，这些高光时刻可能会成为一个刺痛人心的提醒，诉说着本可能发生的一切。但现在，让我们回味一下刚刚发生的故事。
首轮：文班亚马的见面礼
他的传奇故事始于对阵波特兰开拓者队。尽管在第二场比赛中因一次惊悚摔倒导致脑震荡，文班亚马还是带着决心回归，马刺队最终以4比1赢下系列赛。
瞬间一：纵贯全场的自我介绍
一场好的晚会需要鸡尾酒时间。既然我们可以沉醉于这杯法式94（英尺），又何必去小酌那杯French 75呢？文班亚马用这样一个回合为自己生涯首个季后赛单节画上惊叹号：他抓下篮板，背后运球，如漩涡般转身，然后滑翔向篮筐。先摇匀，再搅拌。
他最终以35分拿下这场胜利，创下了马刺队史季后赛首秀得分纪录。蒂姆·邓肯和大卫·罗宾逊当时都在现场。
瞬间二：扇上看台的封盖
回到圣安东尼奥，手握3-1的领先优势，马刺队淘汰开拓者几乎已是定局。但文班亚马在比赛末段对德尼·阿夫迪亚的那记封盖，是一次特殊的、超越凡尘的羞辱。那颗球飞跃篮板，飞向了广阔平原。它现在或许仍悬浮在轨道上，与“事件视界”以及鲍比·什穆达的帽子作伴。
次轮：从被逐出场到欣喜若狂
下一阶段的挑战要艰巨得多。安东尼·爱德华兹和他的明尼苏达森林狼队是连续两年的分区决赛球队。文班亚马经历了职业生涯的首次“反派”时刻，一次二级恶意犯规让他在第四场被驱逐出场。在系列赛战成2-2平后，他和马刺队纠正了航向，最终六场取胜。
瞬间三：“空中大灌篮”式伸长
作为同胞兼防守大山，鲁迪·戈贝尔已成为文班亚马长期的导师之一。多年的悉心指导该如何回报？那就是运球过掉这位导师，然后用乐一通战队那种伸缩手臂在他头上完成扣篮。坏朋友，好节目。
瞬间四：“嘉年华”主题封盖派对
当“嘉年华”配色装点着他的主场时，文班亚马还能做什么呢？这位新科DPOY举办了一场历史性的封盖派对。他的12次封盖创下了联盟单场季后赛历史新高。这是既庄严又愤怒的表现。
森林狼队那晚设法赢下了比赛，但这颗马刺之星在整个系列赛中确立了自己的地位，场均贡献荒谬的4.2次封盖。而明尼苏达最终被打发到了“涂鸦桥”的另一边。
西部决赛：泪水中的坚韧
这一切注定要发生。文班亚马毫不掩饰他对卫冕冠军俄克拉荷马城雷霆队的鄙视。随后的七场大战让他的马刺队成为了西部新的主宰。
瞬间五：雷霆一击
在背靠背MVP头上扣篮很酷。在宿敌头上扣篮也很酷。把两者合二为一？这下好戏登场了。在第一场比赛中，文班亚马撕裂了谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大和切特·霍姆格伦的防线，缴了雷霆队的械。“喧闹之城”变得异常安静。而且，完全出人意料的是，随着比赛深入，时间会揭示一个更残暴的高光时刻。
瞬间六：永恒的经典
文班亚马奉献了一场载入史册的加时赛（以及双加时）表现。他在第一场比赛的加时赛表演渗透到了主流文化中，在篮球世界的各个维度引发难以置信的分享与热议。受到启发的肯德里克·帕金斯审视起了他与僧侣们的夏令营。外星人表情符号以前所未有的速度在群聊中爆发。
那记扳平比分的急停三分让人想起斯蒂芬·库里——几乎是如出一辙的轨迹，只是这位射手的身形拉长得像连在一起的芝士条。而那记挽救比赛的封盖则让人联想到法国印象派，仿佛博物馆的玻璃才能容纳如此壮丽。他全场数据是41分、24个篮板，外加一个你必须亲临现场才能相信的惊天壮举。
瞬间七：43英尺超远三分
这得归到“对此人来说极其困难但看起来却很轻松”的文件夹里。在整个西部决赛中，这个文件夹被清空了好几次。文班亚马在第四场半场结束时的中圈压哨三分，让解说员迈克·蒂里科发出了完全的尖叫。
瞬间八：情感的宣泄
虽然现役的联盟超级巨星们在场上无可争议地出色，但其中一部分人在终场哨响后带有一种特定的无情绪感。球员们培养并保护着他们的“气场”。定义职业生涯的时刻即使不被重复，也会被重新演绎。相比之下，文班亚马在抢七大战结束时那种发自肺腑的狂喜则格外引人注目。他领导了一场征服，在客场重压之下，将卫冕冠军拉下了王座。
他第一次打进NBA总决赛，他让所有情绪倾泻而出。我们都渴望那种感觉回来。
NBA总决赛：脚踏实地
这届季后赛最终属于尼克斯队，他们以一种难以想象的方式，终结了长达53年的冠军荒。他们独一无二的征程将被浪漫化地传颂，直至时间的尽头。但我们不会因为知道结局，就撕掉这本书的其余部分。而文班亚马依然有他闪耀的机会。
瞬间九：攻防一体的极致强调
尽管这不是他想要的结果，但文班亚马确实带着他那令人耳目一新的双端野心来打总决赛。第一场比赛的这记封盖，发生在他快速回防、背对约什·哈特时。球在篮板上反弹的弧线极具镜头感，而紧接着命中的那记追身三分则引发了山呼海啸般的欢呼。这是未来的打法，尽管最终只是昙花一现。
瞬间十：空接落位
圣安东尼奥唯一的那场总决赛胜利，由文班亚马在第四节伊始那次外星人般的空接扣篮领衔。麦迪逊广场花园的舞台灯光让这个回合看起来像是詹姆斯·卡梅隆电影中摩天大楼的核心场景。整场冠军争夺战确实如电影般——充满了反转与心碎。我们都坐立不安，然后争论结局真正的含义。所以……续集肯定在筹备中了吧？您可以在Fubo上观看体育赛事直播（立即免费观看！)。
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点击查看原文：The 10 moments that made Victor Wembanyama must-see TV during the NBA playoffs
The 10 moments that made Victor Wembanyama must-see TV during the NBA playoffs
Victor Wembanyama’s maiden postseason alternated between blockbuster and bildungsroman. He kept the world hooked, game to game and series to series, even though his San Antonio Spurs stumbled against the New York Knicks’ team of destiny in the NBA Finals.
“The Alien” has authored a swift, eventful rise through the sport. He was the No. 1 draft pick in 2023, then matched that hype with an assured Rookie of the Year campaign. The promise of his second season was suddenly curtailed by a blood clot in his right shoulder. He spent last summer training at a Shaolin monastery. And in his just-finished third season, he was minted as the league’s first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year.
This spring, Wembanyama mounted his first playoff bid at 22 years old. He certainly left an impression. Maybe the 2026 playoffs will seem quaint as Future Wembanyama clutches his fistful of rings. For all we know, the highlights will be a stinging reminder of what could have been. Right now, let’s appreciate what just happened.
First round: Wembanyama’s welcome
His saga started against the Portland Trail Blazers. Though a shocking fall left him with a concussion in Game 2, Wembanyama emerged with resolve and the Spurs won the series 4-1.
Moment No. 1: The coast-to-coast introduction
A good soirée demands a cocktail hour. Why sip the French 75 when we can indulge in the French 94 (Feet)? Wembanyama punctuated his first playoff quarter by grabbing a rebound, handling the ball behind his back, spinning into a vortex and gliding toward the rim. Shaken, then stirred.
He finished this win with 35 points, which set the franchise record for a postseason debut. Tim Duncan and David Robinson were both in the building.
Moment No. 2: The swat into the stands
Back in San Antonio and with a 3-1 lead, the Spurs’ elimination of the Blazers felt like a foregone conclusion. But Wembanyama’s late swat on Deni Avdija was a special, cosmic humiliation. That ball soared beyond the backboard and out to the Great Plains. It might still be suspended in orbit, somewhere with “Event Horizon” and Bobby Shmurda’s fitted.
Second round: From ejection to elation
A far tougher task awaited at the next stage. Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves were conference finalists in consecutive years. Wembanyama had his inaugural heel turn as a flagrant 2 foul got him tossed from Game 4. After a 2-2 series split, he and the Spurs corrected course and triumphed in six.
Moment No. 3: The ‘Space Jam’ extension
A fellow countryman and defensive mountain, Rudy Gobert has become one of Wembanyama’s enduring mentors. How can years of stewardship be repaid? By taking said steward off the dribble and dunking on him with the Tune Squad elastic arm. Bad friend, great television.
Moment No. 4: The ‘Fiesta’ block party
With the glorious “Fiesta” colorway decorating his home gym, what else was Wembanyama to do? The new DPOY threw a block party of historic proportions. His 12 stuffs became the league’s new all-time high for a single playoff game. It was majestic and indignant.
The Wolves managed to win that night, but the star Spur established himself for the series en route to a ridiculous 4.2 blocks per game. And Minnesota was eventually vanquished to the other side of “Graffiti Bridge.”
Conference finals: Toughness in tears
It was always meant to come to this. Wembanyama didn’t care to hide his disdain for the Oklahoma City Thunder, defending NBA champions. The ensuing seven-game showdown gave his Spurs new reign of the West.
Moment No. 5: The Thunder strike
Jamming on the back-to-back MVP is cool. Jamming on an archenemy is also cool. Putting the two together? Now we’re cooking with gas. Wembanyama split Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren to disarm the Thunder in Game 1. “Loud City” got awfully quiet. And, against sound reason, time would reveal an even nastier highlight down the stretch.
Moment No. 6: The all-timer
Wembanyama conjured an overtime (and double-overtime) performance for the ages. His Game 1 encore set seeped into monoculture, shared in disbelief across the basketball pocket dimensions. An inspired Kendrick Perkins looked into summer camp with the monks. Alien emoji were blasted through group chats at never-before-seen rates*.*
The game-tying pull-up trey evoked Stephen Curry — an almost identical tracing, except this shooter was stretched out like conjoined string cheese sticks. And the game-saving rejection evoked French impressionism, as if museum glass could contain such grandeur. The total came to 41 points, 24 boards and one had-to-be-there stunner.
Moment No. 7: The 43-footer
File it under “things that are really hard to do but look kind of easy for this dude.” The file needed to be cleared out a few times throughout these conference finals. Wembanyama’s half-court halftime buzzer-beater in Game 4 drew a full-on squeal from announcer Mike Tirico.
Moment No. 8: The catharsis
While undeniably brilliant in action, a segment of the league’s incumbent superstar class carries a certain emotionlessness after the whistle. Players cultivate and protect their “aura.” Career-defining moments get repurposed, if not repeated. In contrast, Wembanyama’s visceral exultation at the end of Game 7 was striking. He led a conquest that dethroned the champs, on the road and under pressure.
He reached his first NBA Finals, and he let it all out. We all want that feeling back.
NBA Finals: Down to earth
These playoffs were ultimately owned by the Knicks, who closed the portal on a 53-year championship drought in unimaginable fashion. Their one-of-a-kind run will be romanticized until the end of days. But we won’t just shred the rest of this book because we know its ending. And Wembanyama still had his chance to shine.
Moment No. 9: The end-to-end emphasis
Though it wasn’t the finish that he wanted, Wembanyama did approach the finals with his refreshing two-pronged ambition. This Game 1 block came as he sprinted in transition and turned his back to Josh Hart. The ricochet off the glass was extra telegenic, and the immediate follow-up 3 earned a great crowd pop. It was futuristic, if eventually fleeting.
Moment No. 10: The lob landing
San Antonio’s lone finals win was headlined by Wembanyama’s extraterrestrial-like alley-oop at the start of the fourth quarter. Madison Square Garden stage lighting made this sequence look like a James Cameron skyscraper centerpiece. The whole title fight was cinematic, indeed — replete with twists and heartbreaks. We were all at the edges of our seats, then debated what the ending really meant.So … a sequel must be in development, right?You can stream live sports on Fubo (Stream Free Now!).
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By Steven Louis Goldstein, via The Athletic