Smack / Feb 3, 2012 / 2:54 am

Derrick Rose Takes A Bite Out Of The Big Apple; Timofey Mozgov Gets Revenge

Dwyane Wade & LeBron James  - 2012 All Star

Dwyane Wade & LeBron James - 2012 All Star (photo. adidas)

Call him what you want, be it a spark plug or a 5-Hour Energy can personified, but Nicolas Batum was certainly needed for Portland in Sacramento. The Kings did what they do to win, 95-92, with gunner John Salmons (19 points) and steady Marcus Thornton (20 points) each being more aggressive than any defender from Portland wanted. Batum made four threes in the fourth against Utah on Monday before leaving with a bruised left knee, and he didn’t travel. It showed. Wesley Matthews and Jamal Crawford combined to shoot 10-29, and they’re a good way to tell how Portland’s feeling on a given night … The Kings gave Portland a chance to tie it on the final possession, but Raymond Felton missed a wide-open three from the left wing and Crawford bricked a slightly more contested three from the right side … If MSG is the world’s greatest stage, Clipper night in Hollywood is growing into a decent venue, too. Too bad Denver locked up the place, blowing out L.A. 112-91 on the fourth game in five nights for the Clips. Like a lot of things in SoCal, this game was all about image — making you do a double-take at first, then realizing this game was ugly upon further review … Blake Griffin (18 points) showed things early that he’ll need to improve once he can’t rely on his hops. A left-wing J from 19 coupled with a turn around, step-back over Nene later in the first quarter got the nervous energy going in a building poised for a slam. When he dialed up a couple standard (standard means filthy for 99 percent of the league) right-handed strike dunks, it got everyone thinking L.A. could click on all cylinders. Well, then Denver outscored them 67-35 during the second and third quarters, led by Danilo Gallinari (21 points, 5-of-5 from distance) and — this was awesome — Timofey Mozgov. The Revenge of Moz featured turn around J’s, and baby hooks in the lane as he finished with 5-of-5 shooting for 11 points. On a night t-shirts were being sold with “The Poster Child” screeprinted on them (with Blake’s assault over Kendrick Perkins), the original victim of a Griffin superdunk got a nice taste of revenge. No doubt they were cheering back in St. Petersburg for that one, Timofey … And the All-Star starters were announced last night with no surprises. Rose, Wade, LeBron, ‘Melo and Howard for the East. CP, Kobe, Durant, Griffin (Amazingly, Griffin and CP will be the first Clippers to EVER start in an All-Star Game.) and Bynum for the West. Anyone you would’ve subbed in? … We’re out Shaq‘s All-Star picks.

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  • http://datpiff.com beiber newz

    this is how deep the nuggets are: if kenneth faried were on the knicks, he’d average at least 20 minutes. he gets like no burn on the nuggets.

  • EN FUEGO

    wish i could take credit. but its all you barbie newz. you do it to yourself. always did. always will.

  • EN FUEGO

    marcus banks could play 25 minutes with the knicks, easy.

  • Three Stacks

    Pee Wee Herman was hilarious once upon a time. If you grew up in the 80s and 90s like it seems so many commenters here have, PeeWee Herman was the shiiiznit. Even Laurence Fishburne put on a Woody costume and played a black cowboy on that show, and Morpheus does not fuck around.

    Melo is gonna be an all-star based on his reputation, and because the NBA needs his name recognition to be part of the festivities. Whether or not he deserves is a whole nother story.

    Based on his numbers, of course he deserves to be there. But based on the impact he has on his team, I wouldn’t vote for him. Every time Melo gets the ball, the entire offense stops. I would understand if they were a pound-the-air-out-the-ball halfcourt defensive team, but they suck at that too. The Knicks do nothing well. His are the emptiest 24, 6, 4 in the league, by far.

  • http://datpiff.com beiber newz

    en fuego…lol seriously dude…hop off me.

  • http://datpiff.com beiber newz

    3stacks…i hear u, but get this. no team in the modern era has won a game getting a total of just 24 points (melo’s average). my point is, there needs to be some consistent help around melo. there is help (amare, fields(?)). but the keyword i used was consistent. amare had his 1st big game of the season yesterday. his first. now if amare played like how he did yesterday along with the way melo has been playing this year, i don’t think it’s a stretch to assume they would have beat those teams they had questionable losses to. minus 5 of their bogus losses and replace them in the win column, and you have a “great” team and no talk of blowing up the knicks. i would rather hear this criticism if amare had been playing like amare all year, not one game, leaving melo on a ny island. then it would be fair, cuz then both players would have played to their potential. but at this point, amare has not played like STAT. so we can’t fully judge this group until amare plays with some consistency. yesterday was a good sampling.

  • http://datpiff.com beiber newz

    haha mike wilbon just introduced the knicks celtics game as two playoff teams off to slow starts.

    i remember i had to explain the definition of “playoff team” to someone.

    happy an experienced journalist agrees with me.

  • EN FUEGO

    Wasn’t this Peewee dude a sex offender at one time?

    Sure, beibs, as soon as you hop off the meth.

    Damn, AB. Now we’re never gonna hear the end of it. Giving BN blank ammo like that. HAHA

  • UncheckedAggression

    Blake Griffin doesn’t deserve to be on the All Star team, much less start. I’ve watched most of their games, and he gets outplayed by many PFs. His numbers are the emptiest numbers of any player I’ve seen this year. Aldridge is so much better than this guy that it isn’t even funny.

    Love will make the team, and deserves to start. Unlike Griffin, Love OUTPLAYS every PF he goes up against. And is simply the most unique big man in the NBA.

  • UncheckedAggression

    And as I said before, I am really psyched at the idea of the Lakers trying out JR Smith. A disaster waiting to happen. PLEASE DO IT!

  • http://datpiff.com beiber newz

    just to play devil’s advocate

    how can you say griffin doesn’t deserve to be on the all star team if love does?

    one of the more important big man stats is blocks. at least grifin is getting at least one of those a night.

    you talk about inflated stats? how many of love’s rebounds come off tapping his missing back up to the rim?

    you have a big man in love, who really doesn’t try to evolve his post game. you have him taking 4 threes a game. on the other end, you have griffin who is at least developing some sort of post game. and his assists number reflect his ability to share the ball and pass out the post. griffin is the better passer overall anyway.

    also, griffin takes a lot more smarter shots. love is feeling his jumper so much that he is often finds himself taking excessive 3s. also, the fact he misses a handful of his layup around the rim (hence his high offensive rebounds) his field goal percentage is in the mid 40s, griffin’s fg% is in around the mid 50s.

    BOTH players are good. love has his advantages over blake in that he is the superior shooter, at the line and from outside. but blake griffin is good in his own right. how could you fathom the idea that griffin doesn’t deserve to be an all star?

  • UncheckedAggression

    If someone provided accurate insight, I would respond to that person. Much of what you said was complete nonsense, as usual.

    Watch games. If you already are, then learn about basketball. Then watch games.

  • http://datpiff.com beiber newz

    that had to be the most deflating loss of the knicks this season.

  • http://datpiff.com beiber newz

    hahahahahhaha at unchecked smart rebuttal. u sound so intelligent

  • http://datpiff.com beiber newz

    if the giants win, i’ll feel better.

  • http://www.bettlejuiceXs3.com Chicagorilla

    @Unchecked

    I don’t see why you would think Blake Griffin isn’t worthy of a all-star spot. Don’t look at just the dunks, the guy can play ball. His IQ is getting better every game. Blake’s post game is still raw, but his face up game is ill. He rebounds like his life depends on it and he plays Balls to the Wall like he’s the 12th man trying to crack the line up. I know he gets a ton of hype because of where he plays and the dunks and all that. But man don’t let that shyt make your judgment on him.

  • http://datpiff.com beiber newz

    i guess anyone would fill the “other than beiber requirement” even if it weak. so….there you go. i feel like i wasted my time defending why blake should be in the all star game. anyone who thinks blake is not an all star in the nba needs to take a weapon of their choice and inflict damage to their life.

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