Mozgov, Douglas Continue to Impress
Related Images
Timofey Mozgov electrified the crowd with his power dunks.
MSG Photos
Timofey Mozgov pointed up at the basket late in the third quarter against the Washington Wizards waiting for an alley-oop pass that never came. On the next possession, Raymond Felton found him in the air for the two-handed jam.
Mozgov is making plays for the Knicks this preseason on both ends of the floor, and he is making it difficult for Knicks Head Coach Mike D’Antoni to not include him in the rotation – and quite possibly the starting lineup – when the regular season opens in Toronto on Oct. 27.
Less than 24 hours after starting against Boston’s Shaquille O’Neal, Mozgov was back in the starting lineup in the Knicks’ 92-90 victory over the Wizards Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. This time he was matched up against Washington’s long, athletic 7-foot center JaVale McGee, who is one of the league’s best interior defenders.
Despite only playing five NBA preseason games so far, the rookie center from Russia once again held his own against some of the strongest big men in the league, scoring 12 points and grabbing four rebounds in 22 minutes. He also avoided any sort of foul trouble, finishing the game with only one foul after fouling out against the Celtics.
As D’Antoni continues looking for the right combinations, Mozgov isn’t the only Knicks player showing why he deserves a prominent spot in the rotation. When looking at the backcourt, it’s difficult to miss the type of impact Toney Douglas is having so far this preseason - even when his shots aren’t falling.
Although Douglas didn’t start against the Wizards after starting alongside Raymond Felton against Boston, he was the top scorer for the Knicks on Sunday. Douglas made his first four shots and finished with 23 points on 9-for-17 shooting from the field.
"I'm just going to keep shooting," he said. "I don't let that bother me. It's the preseason. I'm confident enough to know that I'm in the gym and I work out. So if I miss five, I'll shoot the next one like I've made five. That's how I am."
When starters Amar’e Stoudemire, Danilo Gallinari, Felton and Mozgov left the game for good after three quarters, Douglas took control to pull out the Knicks’ second win of the preseason. He hit a clutch 3-pointer with over two minutes remaining and broke a late tie with a pair of free throws with 1.1 seconds left.
"I just try to be a playmaker out there," he said.
The Knicks have three more exhibition games remaining and D’Antoni would like to have an idea of what the rotation will look like after their next game on Tuesday against the New Jersey Nets.
Mozgov is making plays for the Knicks this preseason on both ends of the floor, and he is making it difficult for Knicks Head Coach Mike D’Antoni to not include him in the rotation – and quite possibly the starting lineup – when the regular season opens in Toronto on Oct. 27.
Less than 24 hours after starting against Boston’s Shaquille O’Neal, Mozgov was back in the starting lineup in the Knicks’ 92-90 victory over the Wizards Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. This time he was matched up against Washington’s long, athletic 7-foot center JaVale McGee, who is one of the league’s best interior defenders.
Despite only playing five NBA preseason games so far, the rookie center from Russia once again held his own against some of the strongest big men in the league, scoring 12 points and grabbing four rebounds in 22 minutes. He also avoided any sort of foul trouble, finishing the game with only one foul after fouling out against the Celtics.
As D’Antoni continues looking for the right combinations, Mozgov isn’t the only Knicks player showing why he deserves a prominent spot in the rotation. When looking at the backcourt, it’s difficult to miss the type of impact Toney Douglas is having so far this preseason - even when his shots aren’t falling.
Although Douglas didn’t start against the Wizards after starting alongside Raymond Felton against Boston, he was the top scorer for the Knicks on Sunday. Douglas made his first four shots and finished with 23 points on 9-for-17 shooting from the field.
"I'm just going to keep shooting," he said. "I don't let that bother me. It's the preseason. I'm confident enough to know that I'm in the gym and I work out. So if I miss five, I'll shoot the next one like I've made five. That's how I am."
When starters Amar’e Stoudemire, Danilo Gallinari, Felton and Mozgov left the game for good after three quarters, Douglas took control to pull out the Knicks’ second win of the preseason. He hit a clutch 3-pointer with over two minutes remaining and broke a late tie with a pair of free throws with 1.1 seconds left.
"I just try to be a playmaker out there," he said.
The Knicks have three more exhibition games remaining and D’Antoni would like to have an idea of what the rotation will look like after their next game on Tuesday against the New Jersey Nets.
