Ballin': Timofey Mozgov Gets Payback on Blake Griffin with a Hard Foul, Nuggets Beat Clippers
By Jason McIntyre
New York 102, Chicago 105: That’s 10 losses in 12 games for the Knicks, who couldn’t stop Derrick Rose every time they needed to (32 points, 13 assists). Rose torched them for 15 in the fourth quarter. Iman Shumpert had no chance. Amare had 34 (missed a 3 that would have tied the game with :11 left) and Melo scored 26 points on 26 shots. Amare and Melo took 53 of the team’s 90 shots. The New York starters played between 36 and 42 minutes. Good luck in Boston tonight, guys.
Memphis 96, Atlanta 77: Tony Allen doesn’t fear Josh Smith. Rudy Gay got flashy in the open court. The Hawks played as if they were exhausted from a five-game road trip, trailing by as many as 30 in the second half.
Portland 92, Sacramento 95: More interesting – that the Kings rallied to victory, snapping a five-game losing streak, or that Jimmer didn’t play for the first time this season? Thornton played 41 minutes, Tyreke Evans played 40, and the team’s other rookie guard, Isaiah Thomas, played 17 minutes. If you don’t have room for Jimmer, trade him. Thomas had a tremendous block on Wes Matthews.
LA Clippers 91, Denver 112: The Nuggets blew the game wide open with a torrid 3rd quarter (65 percent shooting) and Timofey Mozgov’s hard foul on Blake Griffin sent a message and appeared to fire up the road team, which avenged a home loss to the Clippers last week. The Paper Clips appeared tired, and seemed content to take 3-pointers (27 attempts) instead of trying to get to the foul line (5-of-12). The Nuggets were a blistering 12-of-21 from behind the arc.
Golden State 119, Utah 101: Stephen Curry had 29 points and 12 assists, David Lee scored 23 points and took 14 rebounds and the Warriors easily dispatched the Jazz, who were without Devin Harris, Earl Watson and Raja Bell. The lack of backcourt defense was obvious – Curry and Monta Ellis (33 points) shot a combined 23-for-35.