Yesterday the Cleveland Cavaliers confirmed the acquisition of Russian center Timofey Mozgov. The move will see the Cavaliers send two first round picks to the Denver Nuggets. Mozgov, who stands at 7-foot-1, is the type of interior player that a struggling Cleveland team really needs, especially after the season-ending injury recently suffered by starting center Anderson Varejao. Mozgov provides great size on the court, he can add his fair share of scoring and also gives the Cavaliers the big rim protector, that they have desperately missed. Mozgov should start right away. This is a deal that the Cavaliers really needed to make, as the team can’t be successful without a big man in the paint, just like most of the other NBA teams in the league.
Timofey Mozgov is a great fit in Cleveland, and acquiring him was a great move by general manager David Griffin. Griffin said this, “His numbers didn’t need to be flashy. We’ve got three guys that are top 20 players in the NBA. Those guys can be flashy. We need guys that do the dirt work.”
Griffin clearly understands what is going on with his team as it is clearly visible during games. The team needs to get tougher; this is the first move to getting there.
Mozgov has put okay numbers so far this season; he has averaged 8.5 PPG and 7.8 rebounds per game. His numbers should go up as he will be playing with better players on the Cavaliers. As for the two first round picks that Cleveland have given to the Nuggets in return for Mozgov, they were previously owned by Memphis and OKC, and seeing as they are both currently playoff teams, the Cavs have given away two late first rounders for a much needed player in Mozgov.
The move to acquire Mozgov is not the only move Griffin has made in recent days, as the team have also added shooting guard J.R Smith and fellow former New York Knick Iman Shumpert. Both players that are famous for either their hair or mass amount of tattoos, as well as their inconsistent play on the court. Most know about J.R Smith and his ability to get hot at any stage during a game, but his shot selection can be shaky. Iman Shumpert in an excellent defensive player, but has disappointed on the offensive side of the court.
The Cleveland Cavaliers played the Houston Rockets last night, and recently acquired Smith played his first game for the team. It did not go well; Smith played just under 18 minutesm coming off the bench and took field goals and made zero shots. He also took four three point attempts and made, none. This is not a good start. Smith’s night went about as well as his teams, as Cleveland ended up losing to the Houston Rockets by a score 105-93.
Thank you for reading. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and @LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
