More Mozgov

LJ4ptplay

Starter
Any guesses on Mozgov's role with the Knicks this season?

Starter?
20 min bench player?
Garbage minutes only?



Mozgov Highlights vs Greece 18 points Sep 2



Prospect for Knicks Is a Surprise for Russia

By PETE THAMEL
Published: September 4, 2010


ANKARA, Turkey ? An international scout for the last 15 years, Kevin Wilson said that no matter how politically incorrect it is, he engages in profiling when analyzing European players.

When scouting Russians, Wilson acknowledged, he casts a skeptical eye. Too often, he said, they have a poor work ethic and lack mental toughness. It is a stereotype that the Russian national team coach, David Blatt, said stemmed from a rule in the lucrative professional leagues there that requires teams to have two Russians on the floor at all times.

But the back story of Timofey Mozgov, who signed with the Knicks in July, belies that of a typical player in the Russian system, which tends to usher top young players to pro teams and coddle them.

Mozgov, 24, is an athletic 7-foot-1 late bloomer whose performance for Russia during pool play at the world championships has been one of the surprises of the tournament. Coming off the bench behind the former Kansas star Sasha Kaun, Mozgov scored 18 points in Russia?s victory over Greece on Thursday, has averaged 11.8 points over all and has helped lead a Russian team without any N.B.A. players to a 4-1 record.

?I think it?s going to be easier for him in the N.B.A. than in Europe,? Blatt said. ?He?s not going to have to be a lead player, and they?ll probably put him in a small area of the game where he has to pick and cut or run the break hard, which he does extremely well.

?Still, it?s going to be a big adjustment for Timofey.?

If Russia beats France and the United States beats Angola in knockout-round games Monday, the teams will play Thursday. The game would give N.B.A. players their first significant look at Mozgov. Last week in Ankara, he looked like a polished passer in Blatt?s hybrid Princeton offense and showed a soft touch on his jump shot. Tapping in putbacks against Ivory Coast is easier than boxing out his childhood idol, Kevin Garnett, but there are certain things that will not be lost in translation.

?You can?t teach what he has ? body, size and athletic ability,? said Tony Ronzone, the director of international player personnel for USA Basketball. ?They?re hard to find in the world.?

Mozgov said he was excited at the opportunity to come to the N.B.A. and described his only visit to New York as crazy. He said he planned on moving to New York with his girlfriend but did not know where he was going to live.

Mozgov said he had been learning more English to help ease his adjustment, and at a recent interview he used an interpreter only about half the time.

?I will have to prove myself, and I will try and show the coach that I can play,? he said. He added with a smile, ?Because I want to play.?

How much Mozgov plays will depend on his adjustment on and off the floor.

Wilson said Mozgov was ?kind of a maverick? by Russian basketball standards. He started playing late, never signed with a powerhouse Russian club and avoided signing with a Russian agent.

Having to fight to be noticed helped him forge his work ethic. Mozgov spent most of his childhood near Krasnodar, a small agricultural city about 100 miles from the Black Sea. His family moved there from St. Petersburg, he said, because his father had health problems. The youngest of four brothers, Mozgov grew up in a working-class family. He said his father worked as a driver for a private company and his mother stayed at home to raise the family.

?His family is definitely blue collar,? Wilson said. ?He?s never had money, and he?s not money conscious the way a lot of poor kids are. That?s another thing that I like about him.?

It is common in Europe for top youth players to sign with pro teams at young ages. But Mozgov said he did not start playing basketball seriously until age 15 when he went to a boarding school in St. Petersburg at the suggestion of a local coach.

?I was playing only in my school, and it wasn?t a school that prepared me for basketball,? he said.

That trip matured Mozgov?s game and also helped him handle his older brother, who he said roughed him around while growing up.

?When I left and studied, and after my year I came back, my brothers couldn?t do anything,? he said with a smile.

Mozgov never signed with a powerhouse Russian team like Dynamo Moscow or CSKA Moscow. He also did not play a lot for his club team, B.C. Khimki. Blatt said that Mozgov did not play much more than 15 minutes a game last year and compared him to a young pilot needing flight time.

?His adjustment will be bigger than most, but his upside is great,? Blatt said. ?I?m looking forward to Timofey making the jump. It?s not going to be easy for him. If he works hard and the New York people help him, he?s got a good chance to do something.?

Part of Mozgov?s value to the Knicks is as an athletic big man who can alleviate some of the pounding that Amar?e Stoudemire, their prized free-agent signing, will take in the post. But to trade elbows with N.B.A. centers, Mozgov will need to continue to fill out his 269-pound frame.

Because his most polished skill is his ability to use his athleticism to run the break, it is easy to see how he fits into Coach Mike D?Antoni?s up-tempo system. From his limited time working out Mozgov and seeing him on tape, D?Antoni said he was impressed with his ability to shoot the 15-footer, play pick-and-roll and run the floor. But he called Mozgov?s hands average and cautioned that success in individual workouts and Europe did not always translate to the N.B.A.

?This kid, I?m excited about him; I want to see him play five on five,? D?Antoni said. ?But what we saw of him working out, we?re excited. We think he can be really good.?

He added, ?He can be a good bookend with Amar?e. I do worry about his defense a little bit.?

Mozgov signed a three-year deal with the Knicks worth about $9 million, but his impact may not be felt immediately. A classic late bloomer, Mozgov will need time to mature in New York.

?He?s very raw, and he needs a lot of work,? said Wilson, the Knicks? director of international scouting. ?It?s unfair to him or anyone else to expect he?s a superstar out of the gate.

?The best thing is if he could progress from a 5-minute guy to a 15-minute guy. If he can warrant being on the floor from 15 to 18 minutes, I think that would be a great first season for him.?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/sports/basketball/05basketball.html?_r=2&ref=basketball
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
That's the best highlight reel I've seen of Mozgov.

Shows what he can do against a lumbering opponent. Greek center Schortsanitis (spelling) is enormous, but he's so slow. Without any favouritism, and even though Schortsanitis is slow, I haven't seen a 7'1 or over player get to the hoop that quickly with the ball since David Robinson. It's @ 1:34 in the video.

When Mozgov and Russia played Greece in the Cyprus Love Tournament prior to the WC, The Gov looked a little lost and scrappy. As this tournament's gone on, he's looked increasingly comfortable and confident. I've watched every Russia game, and he looks hungrier each time.
 

Paul1355

All Star
LJ, I thin Mozgov is growing on me. The more highlights I see the more I like this kid. Of course we are not being shown the bad highlights of Mozgov, which usually show his low IQ on defense but we all know he is raw but has a repotoire for post moves.
I really see Mozgov getting around 5 to 8 min per game from the start.

He is a big body that is the third string option.

The first option will probably be Amare at PF and Turiaf at C
The 2nd option will probably be Randolph at PF and Amare at C
The third option is Randolph or Amare at PF...Mozgov at C

So Mozgov will get minutes every game unless he shows in training camp that he is so raw that Mike D can not play him over experienced players.

Odds are Mozgov will start out with only couple min per game, after impressing with his athleticism at his huge size and his ABILITY TO DO THE PICK AND ROLL SUCCESSFULLY makes an Amare Mozgov combo devastating.

The one play that teams have a hard time guarding is mastered by Amare and is well learned by a young giant athletic center.

Mozgov might eventually take over Turiaf's spot if Turiaf does not come back next year.

Will Mozgov start? Only time will tell, he probably won't start one game this year but will get bench player to role players minutes.
I am excited.

The Big Red Machine is going to wear the orange and blue.

I found this after I posted this comment but it is my exact strategy of how to play Mozgov, by the Knicks scout Wilson. He also said start him out at 5 min per game then eventually to 15 min per game. I said 5 min per game to a role players minutes which is 15 min per game. I guess this is what will happen.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/sports/basketball/05basketball.html?_r=2&src=tptw
 
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Paul1355

All Star
That's the best highlight reel I've seen of Mozgov.

Shows what he can do against a lumbering opponent. Greek center Schortsanitis (spelling) is enormous, but he's so slow. Without any favouritism, and even though Schortsanitis is slow, I haven't seen a 7'1 or over player get to the hoop that quickly with the ball since David Robinson. It's @ 1:34 in the video.

When Mozgov and Russia played Greece in the Cyprus Love Tournament prior to the WC, The Gov looked a little lost and scrappy. As this tournament's gone on, he's looked increasingly comfortable and confident. I've watched every Russia game, and he looks hungrier each time.
dude were do you watch all these games? I am dying to see a live Russian game.

I need the game to be on ESPN or NBA Network...know any Russian games on those channels?
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
dude were do you watch all these games? I am dying to see a live Russian game.

I need the game to be on ESPN or NBA Network...know any Russian games on those channels?

I have to download them man. There are no spoilers on the site though so the delay doesn't get in the way.

Search davka basketball torrents on google and you're there.

You will be an Internet pirate though matey.

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrgh.
 

Toons

is the Bo$$
That's the best highlight reel I've seen of Mozgov.

Shows what he can do against a lumbering opponent. Greek center Schortsanitis (spelling) is enormous, but he's so slow. Without any favouritism, and even though Schortsanitis is slow, I haven't seen a 7'1 or over player get to the hoop that quickly with the ball since David Robinson. It's @ 1:34 in the video.

When Mozgov and Russia played Greece in the Cyprus Love Tournament prior to the WC, The Gov looked a little lost and scrappy. As this tournament's gone on, he's looked increasingly comfortable and confident. I've watched every Russia game, and he looks hungrier each time.

i watched the ame 8's. he harldy had a bad highlight....only played 20 min and was 8/10
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
The Gov

Any guesses on Mozgov's role with the Knicks this season?

Starter?
20 min bench player?
Garbage minutes only?



Mozgov Highlights vs Greece 18 points Sep 2

It's circumstantial really.

Not specifically because of Turiaf or the roster or anything, but the transition to, not just a new country, but NYC! He'll spin out more than anyone did at Woodstock.

CULTURE SHOCK!

-Being comfortable in a new home and on the road.
-Being socially comfortable speaking a different language, different senses of humour, breaking social habits etc. - I know what that's like going from Oz to Japan.
-The influence of zone defence in Europe.
-Court size - NBA suited for star players.
-The glitz of All Stars whose highlights he's 'wowed' over on YouTube.

I sound like his Mother. I just want him to be successful because I'm (hopefully) just on my way out of a decade of Traumatised Hoopfan Condition (THC:smokin:) Looking forward to some ****ing +.500 success and playoffs.


In the article it sais that he's a late bloomer for separate reasons, it's gonna be sink or swim for The Gov, IMO. The World Championships couldn't have come at a better time to gear him up against world class talent.

Definitely don't think he should bring his girlfriend. Nothing inspires a man like cheerleaders v####as.

i watched the ame 8's. he harldy had a bad highlight....only played 20 min and was 8/10

I know hey. The hook, the off balance oop, the 15 footer, the tomahawk. It was a big night out for Gov. I'm picking Russia to beat France too so he'll get his first taste against USA players. I'd love to see him make a mess of Chandler. Deal out some more injuries like he did to Arroyo. He almost cried! Sensational.
 

Toons

is the Bo$$
currently watching team usa on channelsurfing.net
russia vs new zealand at 2 o clock sharp!
ill update u guys on the the gov
 

LJ4ptplay

Starter
I know he won't start when the season begins. But is it completely irrational to think he could start very soon?

I mean, would we really be asking him to do anything more than what Robin Lopez did with Phoenix? Lopez started, played 19 min a game, played C while Amare played PF, and was there to block shots, intimidate and hustle. The Suns played great when they started Lopez and moved Frye to the bench. Could we do the same with Mozgov?

Of course, I can see him only getting garbage minutes the whole season and being released at the end of the year too. D'Antoni is a stubborn S.O.B. that doesn't play young, inexperienced players.

I have no idea what is going to happen with Mozgov. No idea at all. He's defintely the biggest wild card for this season.
 

Paul1355

All Star
nah, i dont know about nba tv. but usa juss killend angola....nice game
yo toons can you send me the exact link were you can just click and watch teh Russia New Zealand game, there are so many links on channelsurf that I don't know where to go to.


Thanks bro...

Make a thread on it.
 
So far what I'm seeing is he's not a guy whose gonna blow you away with his skill, but he is very active, and moves exceptionally well for some1 his size.
 

ronoranina

Fundamentally Sound
I know he won't start when the season begins. But is it completely irrational to think he could start very soon?

I mean, would we really be asking him to do anything more than what Robin Lopez did with Phoenix? Lopez started, played 19 min a game, played C while Amare played PF, and was there to block shots, intimidate and hustle. The Suns played great when they started Lopez and moved Frye to the bench. Could we do the same with Mozgov?

Of course, I can see him only getting garbage minutes the whole season and being released at the end of the year too. D'Antoni is a stubborn S.O.B. that doesn't play young, inexperienced players.

I have no idea what is going to happen with Mozgov. No idea at all. He's defintely the biggest wild card for this season.

He played Gallo and Chandler. He just doesn't like to play young ignorant-ass players.., like Nate. He also doesn't like to play young bad players, like Jordan Hill.
 

ronoranina

Fundamentally Sound
Mozgov will work his way into the rotation gradually.

We'll see what D'ant can do w this raw young big..
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
I know he won't start when the season begins. But is it completely irrational to think he could start very soon?

I mean, would we really be asking him to do anything more than what Robin Lopez did with Phoenix? Lopez started, played 19 min a game, played C while Amare played PF, and was there to block shots, intimidate and hustle. The Suns played great when they started Lopez and moved Frye to the bench. Could we do the same with Mozgov?

Of course, I can see him only getting garbage minutes the whole season and being released at the end of the year too. D'Antoni is a stubborn S.O.B. that doesn't play young, inexperienced players.

I have no idea what is going to happen with Mozgov. No idea at all. He's defintely the biggest wild card for this season.

That's a fair point. Playing Lopez's role in Phoenix, I mean.

I think a starter's role would be good for him to learn how NOT to foul in the NBA paint. Encouraging him to want to stay in games by playing headier defence and improving positioning on screens, post D situations, contesting the basket, rebounding, boxing out and so on.

Offensively in the half court he'll P&R constantly as an option or distraction for Felton to make passes. If he's successful in adding speed to transition and breaks offensively, then he'll quickly find a constant niche in the rotation.

Like I said previously in the thread, if circumstances allow he can contribute nicely within the first month and a half, 2 months of the season. If he doesn't he'll be trapped in Mike D's inescapable Dog House.

Either way, I can't wait to see him bang heads and get under the skin of opponents. Laimbeer ll.
 
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