By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer / San Antonio Express-News, 2026-10-15 13:58:09
2026年10月14日星期三，在圣安东尼奥Frost银行中心举行的NBA季前赛对阵菲尼克斯太阳队的上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫迪伦·哈珀（2号）、中锋维克托·文班亚马（1号）、后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔（5号）和德文·瓦塞尔（24号）坐在替补席上。
Frost银行中心的禁区为达龙·福克斯敞开了，机会也随之而来。
如果这位脚步飞快的马刺后卫脑海中闪过去年6月在纽约那次看似空无一物却以失败告终的突破的画面，他丝毫没有表现出来。
眼前没有任何一名菲尼克斯太阳队球员挡在他与篮筐之间，福克斯迅速做出了一个果断的决定——一次普通的上篮可不够。
“我当时想，‘这样的空篮机会我还能遇到几次？’”福克斯说。
福克斯在第二节迎着上前封盖的拉希尔·弗莱明完成的那记隔人暴扣，为马刺队周三123-103的季前赛大胜太阳贡献了最佳镜头。
这也让人得以一窥，当马刺的全新三后卫阵容运转到最佳状态时，可能会爆发出怎样的进攻火力。
随着福克斯摆脱髋部紧绷的困扰——这让他缺席了马刺的前三场季前赛——这场比赛标志着备受期待、也略带争议的福克斯-斯蒂芬·卡斯尔-迪伦·哈珀首发后场组合的首次亮相。
马刺重组后的首发五人起初并不奏效，直到后来真正奏效了。
首节还剩6分57秒时，约翰逊进行了第一次换人，用卡特·布莱恩特换下了福克斯。
在那之前，首发五人合计10投仅1中，总共只得到3分。
“这是那套阵容第一次一起打球，”约翰逊说。“就阵容搭配而言，这个季前赛一直断断续续。所以我们只是想找到一点节奏。”
德文·瓦塞尔谈昨晚首次亮相的三后卫首发阵容：
“（防守时）你不知道该去盯谁。是福克斯，是迪伦，还是斯蒂芬。我们有五名都能持球推进、攻击篮筐并完成进攻的球员。我觉得其他球队会很难受。”— Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) 2026年10月15日
周三上半场末段，约翰逊和马刺队预想在下周常规赛揭幕战对阵俄克拉荷马城时释放的进攻威力，已经初现端倪。
福克斯、哈珀和卡斯尔共同在场的前八分钟里，净效率值为-1。而在上半场最后三分钟，他们帮助球队掀起一波攻势，马刺净胜太阳11分。
到半场结束时，开局阶段的生涩已被更有希望的东西取代。福克斯、哈珀和卡斯尔合计砍下19分，马刺建立起60-49的领先优势。
“我觉得我们一开始在做正确的事情，但得分太少了，”身高7英尺4寸、这一切战术核心的维克托·文班亚马说。
“当配合打顺了，”文班亚马补充道，“就真的顺了。”
由于28岁的福克斯在首次季前赛亮相中受出场时间限制，哈里森·巴恩斯在下半场顶替这位全明星控卫首发。
马刺的三后卫实验就此在当晚画上句号。约翰逊将在周五于Frost银行中心对阵萨克拉门托的季前赛收官战中，再次有机会检验这套三人组。
米奇·约翰逊谈福克斯-卡斯尔-哈珀阵容：
“这是那套阵容第一次一起打球。就阵容搭配而言，这个季前赛一直断断续续，所以我们只是想找到一点节奏。有一些积极的方面可以展示给他们，也有一些需要学习的地方，其他方面还有很长的路要走。”— Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) 2026年10月15日
卡斯尔在周三的胜利中砍下18分，其中14分来自罚球线，全靠他不遗余力地冲击篮筐。福克斯得到9分，哈珀同样得到9分。
今年夏天，这三位明星后卫就曾谈起过同场共铸这种时刻的可能性。8月，这些对话在巴黎继续，三人与出生于法国的全明星文班亚马一起参加了由他牵头的训练。
“我们知道我们有可能一起首发，或者至少会更多地同场打球，”福克斯说。“我觉得我们都很期待。”
约翰逊明白，调整这套曾带领马刺打进上赛季NBA总决赛的首发阵容，会招致怎样的批评。但他也相信，潜在的回报实在太诱人，不容忽视。
2026年10月14日星期三，在圣安东尼奥Frost银行中心举行的NBA季前赛对阵菲尼克斯太阳队的下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋卡特·布莱恩特（11号）、后卫迪伦·哈珀（2号）和前锋大卫·琼斯·加西亚（25号）在比赛中。马刺队以123-103击败太阳队。
在约翰逊看来，20岁的哈珀天赋太高，不该一直坐在替补席上。
哈珀升入首发五人后，德文·瓦塞尔被推到大前锋位置，身高6英尺5寸的他在这个位置上常常会处于身高劣势。
约翰逊周三暗示，即便6英尺8寸的前锋托拜厄斯·哈里斯伤愈复出，瓦塞尔也可能继续担任揭幕战的首发。
“这不会是完美的，”瓦塞尔说。“我们还在摸索。这需要时间，但这就是米奇摆出来的阵容。”
篮板可能会是个问题，尽管周三并非如此。面对比残阵太阳更高大的前场阵容时，马刺的防守可能会遇到麻烦。
约翰逊押注的是，这笔交易——一套充满侵略性、能痛击禁区、足以让对手防守端夜不能寐的进攻体系——将证明这场赌博是值得的。
“我理解围绕它的种种议论，”约翰逊说。“但到最后，我总会回到同一个理由：他们是我们队里最好的三名球员中的三个。”
即便如此，约翰逊仍是在一套几乎没有共同作战历史的阵容上押下重注。
福克斯、卡斯尔和哈珀上赛季常规赛同场的时间总共只有25分钟，在马刺的季后赛征程中也仅增加到44分钟。
到目前为止，可供分析的数据实在算不上丰富。
“上赛季我们没怎么一起打过，”约翰逊承认。“迪伦·哈珀当时是新秀，半个赛季都打不了20分钟以上，因为他体能不足，再打下去就要喘不上气了。有很多与篮球无关的因素掺杂其中。”
对约翰逊来说，这笔账很简单。
让马刺最好的三名球员同时留在场上，其余的顺其自然。
但篮球本身可能会复杂一些。
不同于福克斯周三的招牌之作，马刺的新首发阵容目前还不是一记稳稳的扣篮。
“每次踏上球场，我们都会变得更好，”瓦塞尔说。“我们会更加信任彼此。这是我们第一次真正一起打球，所以我们会经历好的时候，也会有糟糕的时候。我们只需要从中学习。”
由生成式 AI 翻译，翻译内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
查看原文：Why Mitch Johnson believes Spurs' three-guard lineup worth the gamble
Why Mitch Johnson believes Spurs’ three-guard lineup worth the gamble
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2), center Victor Wembanyama (1), guards Stephon Castle (5) and Devin Vassell (24) sit on the bench during the first half of a preseason NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026.
The Frost Bank Center paint opened for De’Aaron Fox, and so did an opportunity.
If he was having flashbacks to another seemingly wide-open yet ill-fated drive last June in New York, the fleet-footed Spurs guard gave no indication.
With no member of the Phoenix Suns between him and the rim, Fox made the quick executive decision that a mere layup would not suffice.
“I was like, ‘How many times am I going to have a lane open like this?’” Fox said.
Fox’s second-quarter poster dunk over a closing Rasheer Fleming provided the highlight-reel moment of the Spurs’ 123-103 preseason victory over Phoenix on Wednesday.
It also offered a titillating sneak peek at what might happen when the Spurs’ new-look three-guard lineup is humming at its very best.
With Fox over the bout of hip tightness that kept him out of the Spurs’ first three exhibition contests, the game marked the unveiling of the much-anticipated, if slightly controversial, Fox-Stephon Castle-Dylan Harper starting backcourt.
The Spurs’ reconfigured starting five did not work, until it really worked.
With 6:57 remaining in the first quarter, Johnson made his first substitution, sending in Carter Bryant for Fox.
To that juncture, the starting five were a combined 1 of 10 for a grand total of three points.
“It’s the first time that group’s played together,” Johnson said. “It’s been a very stop-and-go preseason in terms of lineups. So we’re just trying to get into a little bit of a rhythm.”
Devin Vassell on the three-guard starting lineup that debuted last night:
“You don’t know who to pick up (on defense). It’s Fox, it’s Dylan, it’s Steph. We have all five ball handlers who can come down and attack the basket and make a play. I think it’s gonna be tough for other teams.”— Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) October 15, 2026
The end of Wednesday’s first half offered a preview of the offensive force Johnson and the Spurs hope to unleash when the regular season opens against Oklahoma City next week.
During their first eight minutes on the floor together, Fox, Harper and Castle posted a minus-1 net rating. Over the final three minutes of the first half, they helped power a surge that saw the Spurs outscore the Suns by 11.
By halftime, the early clunkiness had given way to something much more promising. Fox, Harper and Castle had combined for 19 points, while the Spurs built a 60-49 lead.
“I felt like we were trying to do the right things at the beginning, but we scored so few points,” said Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 centerpiece to all of this.
“When it clicked,” Wembanyama added, “it really clicked.”
With the 28-year-old Fox subject to a minutes limit in his first preseason foray, Harrison Barnes started the second half in place of the All-Star point guard.
That brought the Spurs’ three-guard experiment to a close for the night. Johnson will have another chance to put the threesome through its paces in Friday’s preseason finale against Sacramento at the Frost Bank Center.
Mitch Johnson on the Fox-Castle-Harper lineup:
“First time that group’s played together. It’s been a very stop-and-go preseason in terms of lineups, so we’re just trying to get into a little bit of a rhythm. Some positive reinforcement to show them and some learning and a long way to go in other areas.”— Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) October 15, 2026
Castle finished Wednesday’s win with 18 points, 14 of them coming from the free-throw line as a result of his relentless attacking drives. Fox had nine points, as did Harper.
Over the summer, the three star guards talked about the possibility of such moments on the floor together. Those conversations continued in August in Paris, where the three were part of a workout crew led by Wembanyama, the French-born All-Star.
“We knew there was a chance that we’d all be starting or at least sharing the court a lot more together,” Fox said. “I think we’re all excited for it.”
Johnson understands the criticism he is inviting by tinkering with the starting lineup that carried the Spurs to last season’s NBA Finals. He also believes the potential payoff to be too enticing to ignore.
San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11), guard Dylan Harper (2) and forward David Jones Garcia (25) play during the second half of a preseason NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. The Spurs defeated the Suns 123-103.
In Johnson’s view, the 20-year-old Harper is too talented to remain on the bench.
Harper’s promotion into the starting five slides Devin Vassell to the power forward spot, where at 6-foot-5 he will often be undersized.
Johnson hinted Wednesday that Vassell could remain the opening-night starter, even when 6-foot-8 forward Tobias Harris returns from the injured list.
“It’s not going to be perfect,” Vassell said. “We’re just figuring it out. It’s going to take its time, but that’s the lineup that Mitch is playing out there.”
Rebounding could be an issue, although it wasn’t Wednesday. Larger frontcourts than the one the Spurs faced against a depleted Suns squad could prove troublesome to defend.
Johnson is betting the trade-off — an aggressive, paint-punishing offense with the potential to give opposing defenses night sweats — will be worth the gamble.
“I understand the narrative around it,” Johnson said. “I always land on the same reasoning at the very end of it. They are three of our better players.”
Even so, Johnson is making a significant wager on a lineup with precious little history together.
Fox, Castle and Harper shared the floor for 25 minutes during the regular season last year, a figure that rose to 44 minutes during the Spurs’ playoff run.
Not exactly a treasure trove of data to analyze so far.
“We didn’t do it a lot last year,” Johnson conceded. “Dylan Harper was a rookie who couldn’t play more than 20 minutes for half the season because he was going to cough up a lung because he wasn’t in shape. There’s a lot of things that went into it that had nothing to do with basketball.”
For Johnson, the math is simple.
Get three of the Spurs’ best players on the floor together and trust the rest to sort itself out.
The basketball could prove to be a little more complicated.
Unlike Fox’s signature play Wednesday, the Spurs’ new starting lineup is not yet a slam dunk.
“Every single time we step on the court, we’re going to get better,” Vassell said. “We’re going to trust each other more. It was our first time really playing together. So we’re going to have our good, we’re going to have our bads. We’ve just got to learn from it.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer / San Antonio Express-News