Mozgov Impresses at FIBA World Championships
Sep 10 2010 4:58PM
Related Images
Mozgov is leading Team Russia in scoring during the FIBA World Championships.
Getty Images/NBA
New York Knicks fans got their first glance at their team’s international (big) man of mystery against some elite NBA talent on Thursday morning.
Timofey Mozgov, the 7-foot-1 center from Russia who the Knicks signed early in free agency, scored 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting and grabbed four rebounds as the Russians fell short in an 89-79 decision to the United States in the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.
The game was televised nationally live on ESPN and re-aired on ESPN2 the next morning, marking the first time many American Knicks fans saw Mozgov play outside of YouTube clips and video highlights from this summer’s tournament. If you missed it, don’t worry because Russia is still playing for fifth through eighth place.
Russia faces Argentina Friday at 6 p.m. ET. It will be shown live online on ESPN3.
Mozgov, who played professionally in Russia the previous four seasons, was a relatively unknown player before signing his first NBA contract with the Knicks on July 13. But the 24-year-old answered many questions early on against a star-studded U.S. squad, scoring nine points in the first quarter alone.
The unbeaten Americans feature a starting frontcourt of Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, the NBA’s reigning scoring champ, and Lamar Odom of the NBA-champion Los Angeles Lakers, with Dallas’ Tyson Chandler and Minnesota’s Kevin Love coming off the bench
Mozgov has been impressive in the World Championships so far for the Russians, who have won five of their first seven games, including a 78-56 victory over New Zealand last Tuesday in their first matchup of the knockout rounds. Mozgov had 16 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench in the do-or-die win.
He is averaging a team-high 12.6 points and 3.7 rebounds.
Timofey Mozgov, the 7-foot-1 center from Russia who the Knicks signed early in free agency, scored 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting and grabbed four rebounds as the Russians fell short in an 89-79 decision to the United States in the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.
The game was televised nationally live on ESPN and re-aired on ESPN2 the next morning, marking the first time many American Knicks fans saw Mozgov play outside of YouTube clips and video highlights from this summer’s tournament. If you missed it, don’t worry because Russia is still playing for fifth through eighth place.
Russia faces Argentina Friday at 6 p.m. ET. It will be shown live online on ESPN3.
Mozgov, who played professionally in Russia the previous four seasons, was a relatively unknown player before signing his first NBA contract with the Knicks on July 13. But the 24-year-old answered many questions early on against a star-studded U.S. squad, scoring nine points in the first quarter alone.
The unbeaten Americans feature a starting frontcourt of Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, the NBA’s reigning scoring champ, and Lamar Odom of the NBA-champion Los Angeles Lakers, with Dallas’ Tyson Chandler and Minnesota’s Kevin Love coming off the bench
Mozgov has been impressive in the World Championships so far for the Russians, who have won five of their first seven games, including a 78-56 victory over New Zealand last Tuesday in their first matchup of the knockout rounds. Mozgov had 16 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench in the do-or-die win.
He is averaging a team-high 12.6 points and 3.7 rebounds.
