Mozgov helps Russia in big win over Croatia

Mozgov the Efficient.

Nothing flashy, just competent. That was Timofey Mozgov again Sunday as he scored 10 points on four shots in 15 minutes, helping Russia to a surprisingly easy 101-78 win over Croatia. Russia now moves on to the quarterfinals of Eurobasket, getting three days off before facing upstart Greece in Istanbul.

The star of the game again was ex-Knick Alexey Shved, who scored 27 points, handed out 12 assists, and grabbed four rebounds. Shved, the highest paid player in the Euroleague last year at $3.4 million (about one-fifth what Mozgov makes), is a leading candidate for Eurobasket MVP if Russia continues its winning ways.

Mozgov got into foul trouble early, but had some neat highlights.

In the early going, it was a battle of stars, Shved vs. Bojan Bogdanovic, the ex-Net who led Croatia with 28 points, but is now headed to Indiana and Pacers training camp. Mozgov won’t be joining his 17 Nets teammates in Brooklyn quite yet. If Russia continues to win, he could be playing on September 17 in the finals.

That would make another Russian who wore the black-and-white, Andrei Kirilenko, even happier than he was Sunday. AK47 is now head of the Russian basketball federation.

• Box Score - Russia 101, Croatia 78 - FIBA
• Aleksei Shved (27pts, 12asts) once again the key man for Russia! (Video) - FIBA
• Shved crushed Croatia and Russia goes to the quarters - Eurohoops