Trajan Langdon scores 17 points as CSKA Moscow beats the Clippers 94-75
-Oct 7, 2006
-Canadian Press: STEVE GUTTERMAN
MOSCOW (AP) - Trajan Langdon scored 17 points and Tomas Van Den Spiegel added 16 to help CSKA Moscow to a 94-75 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in an exhibition match Saturday.
Centre Chris Kaman had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Corey Maggette scored 13 points for the Clippers, one of four NBA teams taking part in a European pre-season tour and the first to play in Russia since the Atlanta Hawks in 1988.
"I'd love to come back and play these guys when we're definitely in shape - to show them what we can do," Maggette said.
Euro League and champions CSKA dominated from the start, keeping the Clippers scoreless for more than two minutes and leading by as much as 21-14.
The visitors scored six unanswered points to trim the deficit, levelled at 22-22 early in the second quarter and then led 24-23 on Corey Maggette's score. But CSKA regained the advantage with the next basket and never fell behind again, steadily widening their lead and making it 52-39 when Anton Ponkrashov scored just before halftime.
"We knew what they could do, and unfortunately we weren't able to stop it," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said.
Minutes after the break, former Duke University player Langdon hit two straight three-point attempts in quick succession to put his team 16 points ahead and CSKA extended its lead to 65-45 with five minutes left in the quarter.
Tim Thomas made it 65-48 with a three-pointer to start off seven unanswered points for the Clippers, but David Andersen scored for CSKA to help the hosts ease to a 73-57 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The Clippers scored the first five points in the final quarter, including a three-pointer from Maggette, but CSKA did not allow Los Angeles within 10 points again on the way to the victory.
Dunleavy said the game was a good test for his team ahead of the new season.
"It tells us how far away we are," he said.
Matjaz Smodis and former Washington Wizards player David Vanterpool had 14 points each for CSKA, while Thomas scored 10 for Los Angeles. Former CSKA player Yaroslav Korolev played briefly for the Clippers at the end of the game but did not score.
The Clippers have been in Moscow since Oct. 1 for a training camp. They beat BC Khimki 98-91 on Friday night.
"Beating a team from the NBA is not a thing that happens often," said Theodoros Papaloukas, who had 10 points and nine assists for CSKA.
Los Angeles forward Elton Brown said he "definitely (had) flashbacks of Papaloukas," who had 12 assists when Greece beat the United States in the semifinals of the world championships. "He's a great player," Brown said.
CSKA's Italian coach, Ettore Messina, said the team must "stay extremely humble" after the win.
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