West All-Stars Westbrook, Love enjoy a Bruin reunion

The West's Russell Westbrook, of the Oklahoma City Thunder, goes up for a dunk during the first half of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday at Staples Center. (Lucy Nicholson/The Associated Press)


West All-Stars Westbrook, Love enjoy a Bruin reunion

By Phil Collin Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 02/20/2011 10:30:42 PM PST
Updated: 02/20/2011 11:45:13 PM PST





NBA: Former UCLA teammates Westbrook, Love soak in atmosphere as they play together on West.

He was the last All-Star to score, but the way Kevin Love looks at it he plans on getting another chance or two.

The former UCLA star, making his first appearance in the NBA's showcase event Sunday at Staples Center, finished with two points but couldn't stop smiling.

"Finally when I got out there it was like `OK, I'm here.' It was one of those moments you almost have to pinch yourself," Love said. "I really want to be back here next year and for many more years to come, so I'm going to work my butt off.

"It's huge. Once you make the All-Star team, that opens up a lot of doors for you and it almost makes you a household name. So hopefully if I have a great season in years to come, I'll get the recognition and our team will be winning."

Put aside the winning stuff for the moment, because his Minnesota Timberwolves are 13-43. Still, it was going to be hard to deny Love a spot on the team since he's averaging 21.1 points and 15.5 rebounds, which leads the NBA.

And he was on the floor with a former roommate and fellow first-time All-Star Russell Westbrook, his teammate at UCLA.

"It was great," Love said. "I slung a couple of outlet passes to him. One was way off and I told the guys it was intentional grounding. Those were good times, playing with him at UCLA and to be back on the floor with him was a lot of fun."

Westbrook had a different experience with 12 points and five rebounds. The guard from Leuzinger High made an immediate impact with his speed and scored eight points in seven minutes in the first half.

Westbrook said he's looking forward to returning to the All-Star Game but also to the rest of the season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"I've got a whole half a year left," he said.

Westbrook, who averages 22.2 points and 8.6 assists this season, also came in second in the Skills Challenge on Saturday when he was bested by Golden State's Stephen Curry.

"I was (disappointed)," Westbrook said, "but I can't really do too much about it. I got to the final but just didn't win."

The 6-foot-10 Love held no illusions about his role with the West stars, who scored a 148-143 victory. But the bottom line was he knew he belonged.

He played 11 minutes, 44 seconds, only three minutes fewer than the Clippers' Blake Griffin, one of the weekend's leading attractions.

"More so, they come to watch guys like Kobe, LeBron, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, players like that who are flashy and make the All-Star Game fun to watch because it's way above the rim," Love said.

"Still, they come out to watch everybody included with it, and that makes it even that much more fun."

Kevin Love, right, gives West teammate Kobe Bryant a hug during the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday at Staples Center. (David Crane/Staff Photographer)


His experience was a different one than he might have expected.

"A lot of emotions, a lot of butterflies in the stomach, very anxious, in some ways kind of even nervous and I haven't been nervous for a game in a long, long time," Love said. "It's kind of what I expected.

"I've been in a bunch of all-star games in my career and it just so happens big men don't get too much love in all-star games, so when you touch it you almost have to shoot it. I only got three shots and I was lucky I made one of them."

Love missed his first two shots, both in the second quarter, then didn't get another chance until 8:57 remained in the game. His 21-foot jump shot gave the West a 125-112 lead.

He left with 6:53 to go when the Lakers' Pau Gasol came in for him and his team was leading by 12.

"I needed a basket, definitely," Love said. "I only had a couple of shots by then. They were very close, in and out. The fact I knocked that last one down, I was very happy about that."

UCLA surprised by Coach Ben Howland's switch to zone defense

UCLA surprised by Coach Ben Howland's switch to zone defense

Coach Ben Howland told the Bruins to switch to a 2-3 zone defense early in the second half of UCLA's 76-72 overtime loss to California on Sunday. The zone helped the Bruins erase a 13-point deficit.

By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
5:25 PM PST, February 21, 2011



And in the 27th game, they played zone.

The 2-3 zone defense that UCLA unveiled against California on Sunday was startling, even for several Bruins.

UCLA had played strictly man-to-man defense for the season's first three months, so players had no idea a change was in store until Coach Ben Howland told them to switch defenses early in the second half of an eventual 76-72 overtime loss.

"It caught me by surprise, to tell you the truth," freshman center Joshua Smith said after the game. "I remember going in the huddle and [Howland] said we were going to run zone and I was kind of like, oh, OK."

Howland is a staunch opponent of zone defenses, using them only as a last resort. He went to one in Pacific 10 Conference play last season because he didn't think the Bruins had the athleticism to execute his preferred brand of grinding man-to-man defense.

But UCLA hasn't even practiced zone defense this season, except to prepare for teams they expected to play one against them.

Howland used the zone Sunday in an attempt to keep Smith and sophomore forward Reeves Nelson in the game after the big men had each picked up their third foul in the opening minutes of the second half. Nelson didn't pick up another foul the rest of the game; Smith fouled out with 1 minute 19 seconds left in overtime.

The zone proved beneficial in other ways, helping UCLA rally from what had been a 13-point deficit early in the second half.

"The zone stopped the bleeding a lot," Bruins junior guard Malcolm Lee said. "Although they were scoring on the zone, it was more like one out of three times every time down the court as opposed to scoring every time against the man. So the zone is the reason why we got back in the game."

Sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt lamented that the Bruins had not used a zone earlier in the season because he said it capitalizes on several strengths.

"I felt we should play zone against a couple of teams because we're long enough and athletic enough to do that," Honeycutt said. "Showing teams different looks is always going to confuse them."

After acknowledging the zone's effectiveness against the Golden Bears, Howland was asked whether he would take a longer look at using it in future games.

"No," he said.

Lee said the zone is an option the Bruins should consider.

"It's possible that sometimes if our man is not there, we have the ability to go zone," Lee said. "It's up to Coach. Coach doesn't really like playing zone, but if it works, why not?"


No stopping him

UCLA didn't have any answer defensively for Cal's Jorge Gutierrez.

The Golden Bears repeatedly set screens for the scrappy guard, who drove directly at UCLA's big men and either converted layups or drew fouls on the way to a career-high 34 points.

Howland tried to adjust by having Lee, his defensive stopper, guard Gutierrez late in the game. But Gutierrez continued to score, getting nine points in overtime.

"It didn't matter who was guarding him," Howland said. "What they were doing was screening for him, and he was coming up against our fours and fives and just turning the corner and driving them every time."


Etc.

UCLA's loss to the Golden Bears takes some luster off the Bruins' matchup against conference-leading Arizona on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA (19-8 overall, 10-4 Pac-10) is two games behind the Wildcats (23-4, 12-2) in the conference standings and will need help from other Pac-10 teams to catch Arizona before the regular season ends in two weeks. "We have to recover and win every game from here on out and hope Arizona loses a couple," Honeycutt said.… Sophomore forward Brendan Lane had 23 blocks in UCLA's first 12 games but had none in Pac-10 play before swatting a shot by Cal's Harper Kamp in the first half.

Baron Davis is fitting into today's Clippers as leader, passer, scorer and 'enforcer'

Clippers point guard Baron Davis discusses a call with referee Tommy Nunez Jr. during a game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. (Steve Mitchell / US Presswire / February 6, 2011)

Baron Davis is fitting into today's Clippers as leader, passer, scorer and 'enforcer'

With Blake Griffin the star and with Eric Gordon unable to play, the veteran point guard has put an inauspicious start to his season behind him and risen to the occasion of late.


By Lisa Dillman
The Los Angeles Times
4:55 PM PST, February 10, 2011

Reporting from New York


It's all about redefining yourself in the NBA, and Baron Davis helpfully did so when he was asked about his role on the Clippers in the Blake Griffin era.

(Actually, it should also be called the no Eric Gordon era.)

Both factors, the explosion of Griffin and the absence of the injured Gordon, have reshaped the role of Davis. Or maybe he's just fitting into it better on the Clippers' long trip through North America.

"Obviously, I'm the oldest guy," the 31-year-old Davis said Wednesday, pausing for effect and knowing his audience would appreciate the sly sentiment.

"So I have to provide the wisdom and I have to be the calming factor out there from time to time. Just overall leadership. And being an extension of the coaches out there, being able to teach and translate."

He left out one element of the job description, and agreed with a suggestion about being Griffin's protective muscle of late. "I am The Enforcer," Davis said, smiling.

Davis has been increasingly enforcing his will in the first four games of this eight-game adventure before the All-Star break.

In 30 games this season, a season shortened by his knee injury, Davis is averaging 12.5 points and 7.1 assists. But in the first four games of the trip, Davis is averaging 19.2 points and almost 11 assists, a stretch including Wednesday night's 16 points and 16 assists in a 116-108 victory against the Knicks.

"He's an unbelievable passer," Griffin said. "It just shows, night in and night out. Sometimes it's not even those flashy plays but it's a pass that seems simple, only because he makes it simple."

So does this indicate Davis is all the way back?

'I don't know if he's all the way back," Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said. "I think he's been doing a great job. We've upped his minutes. He's handled that well. Back to backs are usually tougher, but I thought he did an outstanding job for us" Wednesday.

It was the Clippers' first road win in eight games and just their fourth away from Staples Center this season. They were off Thursday and play at Cleveland on Friday, followed by games at Toronto (Sunday), Milwaukee (Monday) and Minnesota (Wednesday) before the All-Star break

Del Negro, who had been displeased with Davis' fitness heading into training camp, was more expansive about him before Wednesday's game.

"After Baron got in shape and controlled his injury with his knee, I think Baron's done a very good job, especially as of late," Del Negro said. "He's taken a leadership role with Eric Gordon being out.

"I'm pleased with Baron's aggressiveness and leadership and things. Now he's just got to continue to do it on a more consistent basis. Which he is more than capable of doing. I haven't had any issues with Baron for a long time because I feel he's putting in the work."

Bezerkley stuns the Bruins in overtime 76-72

from the Los Angeles Times Video
 


Cal snaps men’s basketball streak in close overtime game, 76-72

By RYAN ESHOFF
The Daily Bruin
Published February 20, 2011 in Men's Basketball, Sports
Updated: 11:20 PM


BERKELEY — Overshadowed by his backcourt mate for much of the contest, Cal guard Brandon Smith stepped into the spotlight in a huge way.

The sophomore hit a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Bears an insurmountable four-point lead with 14 seconds left in overtime, helping Cal knock off UCLA 76-72 in a wild contest in front of a raucous crowd at Haas Pavilion.

While Smith had the big shot, the rest of the night belonged to Cal guard Jorge Gutierrez. The junior from Mexico scored 34 points, the most UCLA yielded to a single player all season.

“Gutierrez absolutely killed us down the stretch,” coach Ben Howland said. “He was great. He just kept attacking our bigs, attacking our hedges, attacking our plugs of screens. He was just driving, driving, driving.”

He went 11-of-12 from the free-throw line, most of which came late in the second half and into overtime. Not known as a jump shooter, Gutierrez scored mostly on aggressive drives to the basket and in transition.

UCLA only made it beyond regulation because of the heroics of Malcolm Lee, who hit a tying 3-pointer to beat the second-half buzzer. Lee’s off-balance shot hit the front rim, bounced lazily into the air, and dropped through after the horn had sounded.

“When I initially let it go, it felt good,” Lee said. “I knew it was going to have a chance because it was straight. Then when it hit the rim, the way it bounced, I was like ‘Oh, that’s about to bounce in.’”

Smith’s shot, meanwhile, was all net. The sophomore’s shot was the dagger in an overtime session that saw the teams trade leads most of the way. He was open because the Bruin defense had to collapse on Gutierrez, who had once more penetrated the teeth of the defense.

“He’s playing with a lot of confidence right now,” Lee said of Gutierrez. “(Cal coach Mike Montgomery) found out something that was working for them, and they exploited it all night.”

Lee, regarded as the team’s best perimeter defender, began the night guarding Cal freshman Allen Crabbe but switched to Gutierrez late in the game when it became apparent that it was the latter’s night.

Still, the Bruins were unable to solve the numerous on-ball screens that Cal set to spring its’ star.

Nor were they able to secure a key rebound late in the game. UCLA freshman Joshua Smith fouled out with 1:19 to go in overtime. Without Smith’s presence in the paint, the Bears were able to grab two offensive rebounds on the ensuing possession and eventually got a layup from Markhuri Sanders-Frison for a 71-70 lead.

They wouldn’t look back.

It was nearly an epic comeback for the Bruins, however.

Seventy-two hours after the Bruins made 3-pointers on their first two possessions against Stanford, they missed their first nine against the Bears.

Some weren’t close – Tyler Lamb didn’t even hit the rim on a wide-open attempt from the wing. A trey by Tyler Honeycutt with less than three minutes to go in the first half finally ended the drought.

“We really came out flat and that’s totally on me,” Howland said. “There’s no way that should be.”

UCLA trailed 29-18 at halftime, but came out with much more energy in the second. The Bruins even delved deep into their bag of tricks to scrap and scheme their way back into the game.

After cutting the deficit to 35-28 with under 16 minutes to go, Howland reached into 2009 and pulled out a 2-3 zone defense. It was the first time the Bruins had played zone all season.

They ran it for less than 10 Cal possessions, during which they continued to trim into the deficit.

Although Howland said the zone was only a temporary solution to helping Smith and Reeves Nelson avoid foul trouble, many of the players were in support of using it more often.

“It was good, it slowed them down,” Nelson said. “They had a good game plan coming in, and I think the zone threw them off a little bit.”

For the second time this season, the Bruins and Bears played an instant classic. Exactly one month after Nelson’s tip-in during the final seconds gave UCLA an 86-84 victory, the teams battled to a climactic overtime conclusion.

This time, the late-game heroics – in this case, Lee’s 3-pointer – weren’t enough to pull out a victory for the Bruins.

“We just all had confidence going into the overtime,” Lee said. “I guess they had that too. That’s why they won.”

____________


Cal stuns the Bruins in overtime

By SCOTT M. REID
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Feb. 20, 2011 10:41 p.m.


BERKELEY – When UCLA guard Malcolm Lee's off-balance, 3-point jumper hit the front of the rim at the buzzer, bounced up and then back through the basket at the end regulation to send Sunday night's game against Cal into overtime, the Bruins took it as a sign.

"Felt like it was meant to be," forward Tyler Honeycutt said.

Cal guard Jorge Gutierrez had other ideas.

Gutierrez scored nine of his game- and career-high 34 points in overtime to lead Cal to a 76-72 victory at Pete Newell Court, snapping UCLA's six-game winning streak.

The Bruins came back from their worst offensive half of the season, took a second-half lead then, after Gutierrez sank four free throws in the final 22.6 seconds of regulation, extended the game into overtime on Lee's prayer.

But UCLA (19-8, 10-4 Pac-10) could not Gutierrez, whose slashing drives carved up the Bruins down the stretch.

Gutierrez scored 23 points in the second half and overtime in addition to six assists and three steals, both game highs, and a blocked shot.

"Gutierrez absolutely killed us down the stretch," UCLA coach Ben Howland said.
UCLA committed 10 first-half turnovers, shot 29.2 percent from the field, connecting on just 1 of 12 3-point attempts in the opening half yet still managed to come back and take the lead, 48-47,� on a pair of Joshua Smith free throws with 7:15 remaining.

The Bruins came back by employing by using of all things a zone defense. Trailing, 37-31, in the second half, the Bruins came out in a 2-3 zone, with Jerime Anderson and Lee up top with Nelson, Anthony Stover and Tyler Honeycutt on the back line.
But when UCLA switched back to a man-to-man defense with 5:00 left in regulation, Gutierrez was off to the races, scoring seven points in the final 2:32 of the second half.

He went coast-to-coast after a steal to put Cal up 53-52 and then his foul shooting gave the Golden Bears a 60-57 cushion with six seconds left.

After Lee's jumper sent the game into OT, Gutierrez picked right up where he left off in regulation, scoring Cal's first six points in overtime.

"I never looked at the scoreboard," he said. "I just kept shooting it."

_______________


Bruins have a Bear of a time in 76-72 overtime loss

Ball doesn't bounce UCLA's way at California after Malcolm Lee's three-point basket for the Bruins at the end of regulation forces an extra period.

By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
11:00 PM PST, February 20, 2011

Reporting from Berkeley


UCLA got the first big bounce, Malcolm Lee's desperation three-point shot at the end of regulation hitting the front of the rim, springing into the air and falling through the basket.

The Bruins weren't so fortunate a few minutes later.

California got the carom that mattered most, securing a missed free throw late in overtime to help take a 76-72 victory on Sunday night at Haas Pavilion.

After Cal's Jorge Gutierrez made one free throw to give Cal a 69-68 lead with 1 minute 19 seconds left in the extra period, he missed the second. But Harper Kamp grabbed the rebound and the Golden Bears eventually scored on a putback by Mark Sanders-Frison to extend their cushion to three points.

"It was just a long rebound and it went to the other side of the rim," sophomore forward Reeves Nelson said, "so they got the rebound."

Coach Ben Howland said the Bruins were also to blame for failing to block out, a breakdown that has haunted UCLA throughout the season.

"You can't miss block outs and expect to win on the road," Howland said.

The Bruins still appeared in position to steal the victory when Nelson scored inside to draw UCLA within 71-70, but Gutierrez drove into the lane and passed to an open Brandon Smith, whose three-pointer gave Cal a four-point lead with 14 seconds remaining.

Jerime Anderson's driving layup with six seconds left proved meaningless when the Bruins failed to foul on Cal's ensuing possession until there were only seven-tenths of a second left. Gutierrez made both free throws, the final of his career-high 34 points helping to end UCLA's winning streak at six games and end the Golden Bears' skid at four games.

Gutierrez repeatedly shredded the Bruins' defense, forcing them to put Lee on him instead of Allen Crabbe, who had eight points in his return from a concussion that had sidelined him for two games.

"It didn't matter who was guarding him," Howland said. "They were screening for him and he turned the corner and drove on our bigs."

Cal students stormed the court in celebration of a triumph that may have served as a wake-up call for UCLA (19-8 overall, 10-4 Pacific 10 Conference).

"This kind of slaps us back into reality," said Lee, who had 19 points. "When we were on that winning streak, everything was all good. It was like, yeah, we're going to get into the tournament, blah, blah, blah.

"This kind of levels us and gets us back down and saying we've got to start from square one again and just build it back up."

The Bruins used one zone to try to escape another. After playing as if they were in a fog for much of the first 25 minutes, they went to a 2-3 zone with big men Joshua Smith and Nelson in foul trouble. It was the first time this season UCLA had used a zone defense, and it helped them rally from a six-point deficit early in the second half.

"It slowed them down," Nelson said. "They had a good game plan coming in and the zone threw them off a little bit."

Smith gave UCLA its first lead with 7:15 remaining, stepping to the free-throw line and making two shots as Cal fans yelled "Jenny Craig" at the 305-pounder.

The teams exchanged leads over the next few minutes until Cal (14-13, 7-8) took a 60-57 advantage on four consecutive free throws by Gutierrez.

With 3.3 seconds left, Tyler Honeycutt inbounded the ball to Lee, whose fadeaway three-pointer from the top of the key hit the front of the rim, bounced into the air and went in. Lee pumped his fist as he was mobbed by jubilant teammates.

"When I initially let it go, it felt good," Lee said. "I knew it was going to have a chance because it was straight. When it hit the rim, the way it bounced, I was like, oh, that's about to bounce in. It did bounce in."

The next bounce didn't take the turn UCLA wanted.

____________


UCLA falls into Bear trap placed by Cal's Gutierrez

By Jon Gold Staff Writer
Posted: 02/20/2011 10:27:34 PM PST
Updated: 02/20/2011 11:37:20 PM PST


BERKELEY - UCLA head coach Ben Howland waved his head in disgust and then smacked his right hand directly on his forehead, his shoulders collapsing.

The Bruins chased Cal around the court all night, particularly spectacular guard Jorge Gutierrez, and couldn't catch the Bears.

Right when they needed to catch up the most - simply fouling a Bear, any Bear, as the dwindling seconds dripped off the clock in overtime - they couldn't.

With a two-point lead, Cal dribbled out the clock after a Jerime Anderson layup, UCLA was not able to foul until just 0.7 seconds remained, and Gutierrez knocked down two free throws to give the Bears the 76-72 win at Haas Pavilion.

Howland was shaken to the core, simply heartbroken.

For all of UCLA's guts and heart down the stretch to end like ... this?

The Bruins were quiet and morbid after coming all the way back from a 13-point deficit but ultimately losing for the first time in seven games.

"We felt like it was meant to be for us to win that game," UCLA sophomore small forward Tyler Honeycutt said. "For us to lose like that probably hurts more."

Perhaps it's not a surprise Gutierrez outran the Bruins; he left them in his dust all night.

The Chihuahua, Mexico, product played like a Great Dane, scurrying all over the court for the Bears, weaving his way into traffic, darting into the post, leading all scorers with 34 points - the most UCLA (19-8, 10-4) has allowed all season - including nine points in overtime.

"Their coach found something that was working for them and they exploited it all night," said UCLA junior guard Malcolm Lee, who led the Bruins with 19 points.

"They were running him off of picks, high pick and rolls, doubles. Nothing broke, why fix it? ... We just have to get back in the lab and basically fix this problem."

But Gutierrez's biggest play was not one of his brilliant coast-to-coast layups, or his conniving thievery or even his outside game.

With 14 seconds left in overtime and no options at the top of the key, Gutierrez delivered a bullet to teammate Brandon Smith in the right corner for a wide-open 3-pointer, giving Cal (14-13, 7-8) an insurmountable four-point lead.

"I had a feeling I was going to get another three," Smith said. "When (Gutierrez) drove I made sure I was ready to knock it down.

"When he passed it to me it wasn't right in my shot pocket, and there was a guy coming out. I thought, 'I am still going to stick this,' and it went in."

Forget four points in overtime: Given UCLA's play for much of the first 22 minutes, it seemed Cal's 13-point lead early in the second half would have been too much to overcome.

With 7:26 left in the first half, UCLA trailed 21-11, had seven turnovers and that vaunted balance that the Bruins highlight was out in full force: no player had more than two points.

It took a little time - and a couple of Honeycutt 3-pointers - but UCLA finally got into a zone.

Literally.

Howland, who maintained throughout the season that he would not switch from his standard man-to-man, made the change with Cal leading 37-31 and 14:30 left, and the Bruins took off.

"The zone stopped the bleeding a lot," Lee said. "Although they were scoring in the zone, it was more like one out of three times, as opposed to scoring every time against the man. Zone is the reason we got back in the game."

That, and one humongous Lee shot. Lee hit a fading 26-foot 3-pointer as time expired, or more appropriately, after time expired, as the ball hit the front of the rim, the clock hit zero, and the ball dropped in.

The two teams certainly have a flair for the dramatic.

Last season, UCLA senior guard Michael Roll hit a 13-foot jumper with 1.9 seconds left to lift the Bruins to a 76-75 lead at Cal.

In the teams' first matchup Jan. 21 at Pauley Pavilion, sophomore forward ReevesNelson tipped in a short Honeycutt jumper at the buzzer to give the Bruins an 86-84 win.

This one finally went Cal's way, though, breaking a four-game losing streak and ending UCLA's scorching streak, as the Bruins had won 10-of-11 and 16-of-19.

"When you get on a winning streak, you kind of forget about reality," Lee said.

"Basically this slaps us back to reality. ... When we were on the streak, everything was all good, we were feeling all gravy ... This kind of levels us. It gets us back down, and we have to start from square one again."


Click on boxscore to enlarge (from Yahoo Sports)

Preview: UCLA at California

Up Next
California
Sunday, 7 p.m.
Berkeley
Fox Sports Prime Ticket


Preview: UCLA at California
SportsDirect Inc. staff
College Sports Matchups
2/19/2011

THE STORY: The last time UCLA met California was perhaps the turning point of the season for the Bruins. UCLA was in the midst of a rollercoaster season and watched a 14-point lead evaporate in the final two minutes against the Bears. But Reeves Nelson tipped in the game-winning shot with one second to play to propel the Bruins to an 86-84 victory Jan. 21, and they’ve been rolling since. The Bruins are playing with loads of confidence, and take a six-game winning streak into Berkeley on Sunday to face Cal, which has lost four straight.

ABOUT CALIFORNIA (13-13, 6-8 Pac-10): Freshman Allen Crabbe has missed the past two games after suffering a concussion early in a contest against Washington on Feb. 10. Crabbe, an electric guard from Los Angeles, is third on the team in scoring and rebounding. He was expected to play on Thursday but never appeared and remains questionable for Sunday. Crabbe had 17 points and seven rebounds against the Bruins in the first meeting. The Bears lost to Southern Cal 78-75 Thursday. Cal trailed by 12 with two minutes left and staged a furious rally to cut the deficit to one point on a 3-pointer by Markhuri Sanders-Frison with three seconds left, but USC made a pair of free throws with a second left to ice it.

ABOUT UCLA (19-7, 10-3): The Bruins have lost once since the dramatic win against the Bears and clawed their way into second in the Pac-10 standings, 1 1/2 games behind Arizona. UCLA has become the best defensive team in the conference as opponents have shot less than 37 percent in five of their last six games. In their latest victory, a 69-65 decision at Stanford on Thursday, UCLA never trailed and built a 16-point second-half advantage en route to its 10th win in its last 11 games. UCLA also shot 9 of 19 from 3-point range, and Nelson, who entered the game making 56 percent of his free throws, nailed 8 of 10 from the line to close out the contest.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: UCLA’s Josh Smith continues to impress. He had three of his nine rebounds on one possession against Stanford and had 13 points as a major factor in the post. Sanders-Frison made the first two 3-pointers of his career on Thursday.

KEY STATISTIC: UCLA has won the battle on the backboards in every game of the winning streak.

RECENT HISTORY: Nelson and Lazeric Jones scored 24 apiece for UCLA in the first meeting. The Bears had won two straight in the series and knocked UCLA out of the Pac-10 Tournament last season.

LOOKING AHEAD: UCLA heads home for a crucial series against the duo from Arizona next week. Saturday’s game against the Wildcats could decide the conference title. Cal plays at Oregon and Oregon State next week. It swept the pair at home last month.

LAST WORD: The Bruins have seemingly played their way off the bubble with their torrid stretch and could appear in the Top 25 for the first time this season with a win on Sunday. UCLA is also shooting the ball well and getting solid contributions from all five starters.

A night at the Loves, watching the All-Star

Is Bill Laimbeer Obi Wan to Kevin Love's Anakin?


kluv's "Numb#rs"


kluv on kluv's "Numb#rs"


Pundits pontificating kluv's push to be an All-Star


Numb#rs behind the scenes


kluv wants on the bus


A night at the Loves, watching the All-Star

Timberwolves lose again, but their star is a winner

By Kerry Eggers

The Portland Tribune, Feb 14, 2011, Updated Feb 15, 2011
It’s 5 p.m. on Monday, which means game time in front of the big-screen TV in the Love household in Lake Oswego.

The family gathers to watch each and every Minnesota Timberwolves’ game via NBA League Pass. On this day, your faithful columnist is invited to join the party as they play host to the Trail Blazers at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

The group starts with only the scribe and Stan Love, father of Timberwolves’ star Kevin, who will be making his first All-Star Game appearance Sunday at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

By the end of the first quarter, we are joined by Stan’s wife of 25 years, Karen, as she returns home from her shift as nurse in the neonatal unit at Emanuel Hospital; daughter Emily, 16, a Lake Oswego High student who is into horses and works in high-fashion modeling through Leni’s Model Management London; sister Maureen Love, one of the nation’s most accomplished harpists and a regular with Pink Martini; family friend Jeff Kafoury and Karen’s mother, Carol Craig, who at 80 ranks as an astute basketball enthusiast and the No. 1 fan of her grandson.

“I watch every game,” she tells me later. “I can yell and get mad.”

Full disclosure: As a long-time friend of Stan’s, I have watched the occasional game at the home he and Karen have shared for more than 20 years, maybe a mile from the high school. It’s a warm, happy house, but it’s different now. Kevin purchased the place a year and a half ago, and a recent remodel has produced an elegant kitchen and much more upscale living quarters.

Rumors that the Loves will skirt Portland for destinations south once Emily graduates from high school are unfounded.

“This will always be our home base,” Stan says. “We raised our family here. We love Lake Oswego. Great neighbors, good people. It’s home.”

Stan takes me for a quick tour of what is soon to become his “man cave,” a room on the south side of the house where basketball souvenirs are displayed of the careers of both father and son (Stan starred at Oregon from 1969-71 before a four-year NBA career).

Kevin’s No. 13 jersey from the U.S. team that won the World Championships in Turkey last September hangs on one wall. Trophies for the Gatorade and Naismith National High School Player of the Year awards are among the most prominent. I’m glad Stan, who turns 62 in April, has included his UO Sports Hall of Fame and Helms Foundation All-America plaques among the memorabilia.

Then we’re back to the TV room, where tipoff is seconds away and Emily, lithe and winsome at 5-9, joins us. When she learns a Tribune photographer may be on the way for a shot to accompany the column, she demurs. She’s not feeling all that well, she says, and she’s not camera ready. “Honey, you look fine,” prods her father.

“Call my agent,” she says wryly.

The Loves – including Kevin’s older brother, Collin, a student at Portland State – leave Tuesday night for San Diego, where they’ll stay with Karen’s sister until heading to L.A. on Thursday. It’s a return home for both Karen and Stan, who grew up in Inglewood as part of the family that spawned the Beach Boys, with brother Mike and cousins Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson.

The family will stay at the All-Star team hotel near Staples. Stan is excited about not only the four-day reunion with his middle child, but also the party Kevin – who makes an off-season home in L.A. – and Paul Pierce are throwing at the Playboy Mansion Friday night. Snoop Dogg is the entertainment, and Stan says he is a big fan.

Each player is given two free tickets for the weekend. Kevin has purchased additional ducats for his siblings. Face value is $500 for the Saturday activities and $750 for Sunday’s game.

“Tickets are going for well over that – $3,000 for Saturday, $4,000 to $5,000 for Sunday,” Karen says. “That’s a crime, I’m sorry.”

Stan is not optimistic about Minnesota’s chances to beat Portland. Small forward Michael Beasley, the Wolves’ No. 2 scorer, is missing with an ankle injury. The Trail Blazers have won the last 15 meetings between the teams. When I offer that nobody beats the Timberwolves 16 times in a row, Stan has a hearty laugh.

Pop’s inclinations are right. Before long, Portland leads 18-2. Kevin’s not getting the ball, and as the family members roll in, they have a hard time concealing their displeasure that a player averaging more than 21 points a game is pretty much ignored by his teammates.

The conversation turns to Kevin’s reputation in the Portland community. I suggest it’s excellent. As he has achieved success in the classroom, the basketball arena and the financial world, he has maintained a humility I admire. He’s never been in trouble. He’s been a role model. What’s not to like?

“There are lovers,” Stan says, “and there are haters.”

But the Loves were buoyed by the reception Kevin got after the last Timberwolves’ visit to the Rose Garden. About 150 friends, teachers and schoolmates bought tickets and, after the game, stuck around to pay their respects.

“The school has embraced him,” Karen says. “His favorite teachers were there. It was really cool.”

The Loves feel Kevin has been shorted in the local media’s fuss about LaMarcus Aldridge exclusion from the All-Star Game.

“How can Kevin get blamed for that?” Kafoury fumes.

It’s agreed all around that both deserve the honor.

Stan is prescient, sensing a big game from Dante Cunningham early. Cunningham, not Aldridge, is defending Love, and having some success.

“I like that kid,” says Stan of the second-year Blazers who ends the evening with career highs in points and rebounds. “He’s tough. He plays hard-core defense. For a guy who’s not that tall, he works hard. I like him a lot.”

Maureen was the first of the Loves to move to Oregon from southern California back in 1980. Stan and Karen followed in 1988. Carol has been here since 1993.

“I used to be a Laker fan,” she says, “but since I moved up here, I’m going to support our team.”

“I pull for the Blazers, too,” Stan says. “I’m a total Oregon fan, I’m a total Oregon State fan – I love this state. I hope the Blazers prevail against the Lakers. I root for them except for four times a year.”

Stan was fortunate during his short NBA career to play with some outstanding talent in Baltimore (1971-73) and with the Lakers (1973-75). His favorite teammate?

“Connie Hawkins,” he says. “He was intelligent, well-rounded, spoke five different languages, understood history and art.”

But favorite teammate on the court?

“Probably Earl Monroe or Elvin Hayes, or maybe Jerry West,” Stan says. “I was lucky.”

Stan reflects back to when Kevin was an 11-year-old playing Goldenball.

“I’d see a little something in Kevin that Jerry could do or Earl could do or Wes (Unseld),” he says. “He had some of that superstar energy at a young age. It’s weird when you look back and think about that.”

“He just had it,” Karen adds. “It wasn’t anything we ever pushed on him. We just knew, and he knew, what a success he’d be.”

Minnesota has trimmed the Blazers’ lead to 56-48 at the half. Pasta, bread and salad is served. Maybe there will be a Timberwolves’ comeback. Carol gets an alert on her cell phone that Kevin has six points and five rebounds – on the way to his 41st straight double-double, albeit barely.

Kevin made the most of his one season at UCLA. So did the Loves, who struck up a friendship with the late, great John Wooden.

“During that year, we drove over to Coach Wooden’s apartment several times,” Stan says.

“Until the NCAA investigated for a potential violation, that it was an extra benefit,” Karen says. “Kevin had to tell John Wooden, ‘Sorry coach, we can’t talk anymore.’ “

Talk turns to a potential NBA lockout in the summer. Kevin, Stan says, is convinced it will happen.

“He’s going to be the most-prepared player in the NBA,” Stan says. “He’s very conservative, very frugal. He’s ready. I’m not sure about a lot of his teammates.”

Karen believes there should be a change in the collective-bargaining agreement, that players should be required to stay in college for two years instead of one.

"Kevin grew so much time his time at UCLA," she says. "Any kid would benefit from that."

Had it been legal to come out of high school, though, that's what Kevin would have done.

"But he wouldn't have been ready," Stan says. "Hardly anybody is."

Kevin, 22, remains in contact with his family primarily through text messaging.

“We text several times through the day,” Karen says.

It’s nice, Carol suggests, that Kevin so often mentions the family during interviews.

“He’s always talking about Stan,” she says.

“He’s getting a little carried away with that,” Stan notes.

“He loves his family,” she says. “He’s a family boy.”

The Timberwolves make a little run late in the third quarter to get within nine points. It’s as close as they come in a 95-81 defeat.

Carol is relieved that Kevin completes his double-double in the closing minutes. It pushes his streak to 41 games – exactly half a regular season – and he becomes the second player in NBA history (joining George Mikan) to hit 50 before the All-Star break.

The final seconds tick down.

“This was a drag,” Stan says.

Monday’s final result, perhaps, for the Loves. There’ve been too many of those for the 13-42 Timberwolves. But a great week in L.A. looms.

Readers of this post also read "Kevin Handshake" and "Kevin still working on the Handshake."

UCLA wins 6th straight at Stanford, 69-65 but not without the proverbial last-minute scare

Sophomore forward Reeves Nelson shoots a free throw after being fouled by Stanford freshman guard Aaron Bright. Photo Daily Bruin Multimedia

A fast start and solid play against Stanford gets UCLA men’s basketball its 6th straight win

By RYAN ESHOFF
The Daily Bruin
Published February 18, 2011 in Sports
Updated: 2:55 AM

UCLA 69
Stanford 65

Up Next
California
Sunday, 7 p.m.
Berkeley
Fox Sports Prime Ticket


PALO ALTO — Hot shooting and balanced scoring propelled the Bruins to a fast start Thursday night, and the UCLA men’s basketball team found their stroke just enough times the rest of the way en route to their sixth straight victory.

UCLA (19-7, 10-3 Pac-10) made 3-pointers on its first two possessions of the game and finished with nine trifectas in its 69-65 victory over Stanford at Maples Pavilion.

Still, the Bruins were almost done in by even hotter shooting from one opponent in particular. UCLA had to withstand a late barrage from Stanford star Jeremy Green, who hit three threes in the final two minutes to nearly bring the Cardinal (13-12, 6-8) all the way back.

“This is a great shooter’s gym,” coach Ben Howland said. “Green’s a great player. He might be one of the most underrated players in the country. That jump shot of his is lethal.”

But with Stanford trailing just 66-62 inside of a minute, Green lost the ball on the way up in a one-shot attempt and then was unable to connect from beyond the arc on the next possession. UCLA missed a number of free throws down the stretch but got three big ones from sophomore forward Reeves Nelson in the final 13 seconds to seal the victory.

“This is a great team for TV ratings,” Howland quipped, “and keeping the fans involved all the way until the very end.”

Fans of the Bruins will also appreciate the fact that their team shot 52.9 percent from beyond the arc and 46.8 percent from the field. Sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt made four of his eight 3-point attempts and finished with 16 points.

If it sometimes appeared that the Cardinal hadn’t dealt with Joshua Smith before, it’s because they haven’t. The UCLA freshman center missed the teams’ first meeting because of an injury but was an unstoppable force in the paint for much of the rematch.

Smith finished with 13 points, including a thunderous second-half dunk that came a possession after he was able to draw an offensive foul on Green.

“It really hurt me when I couldn’t play against them back home,” Smith said. “But my teammates took care of me, and I just wanted to help them.”

Boosted by the all-around play of Smith, the Bruins turned a seven-point halftime lead into a double-digit advantage. The Cardinal, however, wouldn’t go away.

Sparked by their colorfully-named tandem – Green, who finished with 27 points, and Anthony Brown, who finished with 15 points – the Cardinal refused to let their visitors pull away.

Howland wasted no time in calling a timeout when Stanford cut the UCLA lead to 47-41 with just under 12 minutes to go. The Bruins responded with a 10-0 run that included a pair of crucial layups from Nelson, who led UCLA with 18 points.

“I was just trying to do anything within my power to help the team win,” Nelson said. “It’s always tough to win on the road, and I was fortunate enough for things to go my way.”

“Reeves Nelson had some big moments tonight,” Howland added.

In a rare twist of scheduling, UCLA will now have two days off before it faces Cal on Sunday night in the second game of its weekend trip. Thursday’s win – the Bruins’ 10th in their last 11 games – means that they kept pace with first-place Arizona in the Pac-10. UCLA remains just one game back of the Wildcats.

“It would have been really brutal to be up here Friday and Saturday after a loss,” Howland said, a smile forming on his face. “It’s much better to be stuck up here on this long road trip coming off a win.”

______________


Youthful UCLA just keeps getting better

February, 18, 2011 Feb 182:53AM ET
By Diamond Leung
ESPN.com


STANFORD, Calif. -- Given a chance to praise his team for winning 10 of its past 11 games, UCLA coach Ben Howland said the Bruins were improving and then countered with a compliment -- a backhanded one.

“I know we’re great for television,” Howland mused. “This is a great team for TV ratings and keeping the fans involved for the sponsors all the way ‘til the very end.”

In surviving Stanford on the road with a 69-65 win, UCLA once again showed off its propensity to let opponents back into the game. But a Bruins team -- one that is without a single senior -- ultimately did not break and managed to maintain second place in the Pac-10 standings.

Howland might have a few more gray hairs because of it, but young UCLA is growing up before his eyes.

A month after needing to claw its way back against Stanford at home, the Bruins never let the Cardinal have a lead. Aside from Jeremy Green draining three 3-pointers in the final minute and a half to make the game a little too close for comfort, the 19-7 Bruins controlled the game and looked very much unlike last year’s much-maligned squad that not only missed the NCAA tournament, but also went 14-18.

The Bruins start two sophomores, a freshman and a junior college transfer at point guard in Lazeric Jones -- who plays with wrapping over his sprained left wrist -- and team has gotten better with time.

Reeves Nelson, who had 18 points and seven rebounds, might play out of control sometimes, but continues to be reliably productive. Tyler Honeycutt, who hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points overall, might take an ill-advised shot every now and then, but continues to show off a skill set that makes him a future pro.

And 6-foot-10, 305-pound freshman center Joshua Smith, who had 13 points and nine rebounds while coming off the bench in order to stay out of foul trouble, has gradually learned to effectively throw his weight around and make a meaningful impact inside.

“He's like two guys out there and takes up a lot of lane when he's in,” Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins told reporters. “It reminds me when I played against Shaquille O'Neal. He's different than any other different post player you face in college.”

At one point 3-4 after a loss at home to Montana, UCLA is now in a position where Smith is talking about winning the Pac-10 outright.

Games against first-place Arizona and a road game against preseason favorite Washington loom, but during this stretch, the team has taken care of business at home and is now focused a road sweep in Northern California that would make those games all the more important.

“Now we play more together,” Smith said. “Early in the season when we made mistakes, guys were yelling at each other.

“We’ve grown up a lot. Every game, we’re learning that much more about ourselves.”

After the game Howland brought up the positives of each player before then mentioning areas of improvement. The 35-26 rebounding edge against Stanford was welcomed, and the defensive effort of Malcolm Lee was noted as usual, but Howland also knows the team must cut down on turnovers of the unforced variety.

“We have to continue to grow and get better at it,” Howland said.

Should the growth and winning continue, it’ll be that much more of a reason for television viewers -- especially those in March -- to stay tuned to what's brewing at UCLA.

______________

UCLA beats Stanford to continue hot streak

By SCOTT M. REID
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Feb. 17, 2011
Updated: 11:32 p.m.


STANFORD – Give UCLA this much: The Bruins know how to deliver a cliffhanger.
"We're great for television. This is a great team for TV ratings and keeping the fans involved for the sponsors all the way to the very end," Bruins coach Ben Howland said. "We should get some accommodation with that."

The Bruins kept fans on the edge of their seats — and Howland off his — by letting a 16-point second-half lead against Stanford on Thursday night evaporate to a four-point gap inside a minute with the ball in Cardinal guard Jeremy Green's red-hot hands.

UCLA forward Reeves Nelson finally stepped up to rescue the Bruins from the foul line, securing a 69-65 victory at Maples Pavilion that kept UCLA (19-7, 10-3 Pac-10) one-game behind Arizona and the Pac-10 lead.

"That's a great win for us," Howland said of the Bruins' sixth consecutive victory and their 10th in the past 11 games.

During that stretch a young and inexperienced Bruins team has been, at times, unstoppable, often entertaining and always interesting.

Thursday's drama followed a familiar plot line. Bruins forward Tyler Honeycutt scored 13 of his 16 points in the first half, while guard Malcolm Lee smothered Green as UCLA opened a 36-29 lead at the intermission.

Green scored just six of his game-high 27 points in the first half.

"Honeycutt was shooting the ball really well in the first half, and I think they focused more on him in the second half and that opened up things for me and Josh and we just went to work," Nelson said, referring to freshman center Joshua Smith.

Nelson took advantage of that space to score 12 of his team-high 18 points in the second half. Smith added 13, eight coming after the intermission.

It was a Nelson pass that set up a Jerime Anderson 3-point jumper for a 45-32 lead with 14:48, which was the launch point of a Bruins run that them ahead, 57-41, with 7:26 remaining.

Then Green went to work, hitting a jumper on the ensuing possession. A minute later he sank another jumper, this time a 3-pointer to make it 57-46.

"Green's a great player," Howland said. "I think he might be one of the most underrated players in the country. That jumpshot of his is lethal."

Thursday it was almost fatal to the Bruins.

A Green bomb from top of the key cut the UCLA lead to 66-62 with 1:12 to go.
The ball was in his hands again after a Nelson turnover. But Green lost the handle under the basket.

Honeycutt missed a pair of free throws at the other end but Green's 3-point attempt with 22 seconds left was off the mark and Nelson iced the victory with by sinking three consecutive free throws.

"They hit a bunch of 3s to make it interesting down the stretch," Howland said, "and not good for my health."

______________


Silence is golden for UCLA basketball in win

By Jon Gold Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 02/18/2011 12:19:29 AM PST
Updated: 02/18/2011 12:19:44 AM PST


STANFORD - Maybe all UCLA needed was a little quiet.

In a sparsely filled and nearly silent Maples Pavilion for much of the game's 40 minutes, the Bruins relied on drastically improved long-range shooting to defeat Stanford on Thursday night, 69-65, their sixth consecutive win and 10th in 11 games.

The Bruins, who had been shooting just 32.5 percent as a team from 3-point range, made 9-of-17 3-pointers - including 6 of 11 in the first half - to jump to a 36-29 halftime lead.

"We're getting better; we're 18-0 with a 10-point lead," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "I know we're great for television. This is a great team for TV ratings. And keeping the fans involved for the sponsors all the way 'til the very end. So I think we should get some accommodation for that."

UCLA's outside shooting made it appear it would cruise to an easy victory in Palo Alto.

But par for the course, turnovers assured a rougher finish.

The Bruins (19-7, 10-3 Pac-10) committed 16 turnovers, including 11 in the first half, allowing Stanford to keep it close. Long-range shooting late made it even closer, as Stanford guard Jeremy Green hit two 3-pointers in the final minute to close UCLA's lead to 66-62 with 1 minute, 10 seconds left.

But Green's turnover with 31.6 seconds left and three free throws down the stretch by Reeves Nelson iced the game for the Bruins.

It was a surprising turn of events for UCLA - it made just 5 of 11 free throws at one point to keep the Cardinal (13-12, 6-8) in the game.

"We just have to do a better job at the foul line," Howland said. "We missed some foul shots late in the game. I thought Reeves did a great job stepping up."

With the Bruins leading 45-32 with 14 minutes, 48 seconds left, a 9-2 run by Stanford in three minutes cut the UCLA lead to six once more. Green did much of the damage with two outside shots - including a 3-pointer - but UCLA regained its offensive composure behind Nelson, Joshua Smith and Lazeric Jones.

Nelson's driving layup was followed by Jones' 3-pointer off a beautiful pass from Nelson.

Then Smith went to work.

Smith had two offensive rebounds, drew a foul, made 1 of 2 free throws then came back on the defensive end and swatted a shot that led to layup by Nelson, giving UCLA a 57-41 lead, its biggest of the game.

"We've played almost 30 games, played against a lot of teams we've already played, and bad teams will let runs affect them," said Smith, who finished with 13 points, nine rebounds - including five offensive - two blocks and a steal.

"We already knew this was going to a game of runs. They made their run, and we had to just had to make our moves."

Nelson added 18 points and seven rebounds, as the Bruins won the battle of the boards 35-26. Sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt added 16 points but five turnovers and Jones had nine points, six rebounds and four assists.

"We had pretty balanced scoring tonight," Nelson said. "We were shooting well in the first half, then in the second half they tried to focus on it, so it helped to have me and Josh and we just tried to go to work."

The Bruins had particular trouble with Green on Thursday, as he exploded in the second half for 21 points, finishing with 9-of-16 shooting and 5-of-8 3-pointers.

"Man, he's such a great shooter," Nelson said about Green. "It's crazy how you can say he's a good shooter, and Malcolm `held' him to 27. It was the same way with (BYU guard Jimmer Fredette); he just has such a good release. (Lee) tried to make things difficult for him, but with a person who's that good of a player, sometimes you just have to accept it and try to do what you can to get ahead."

The Cardinal also got 15 points from guard Anthony Brown and 12 points from Josh Owens in losing their second straight game.

____________


UCLA makes it interesting until the end in 69-65 win over Stanford

Bruins go up by 16 points with 7 1/2 minutes to play only to sweat it out before earning sixth straight win. In balanced effort, Reeves Nelson gets 18 points, Tyler Honeycutt 16 and Joshua Smith 13.

By Ben Bolch
The Los Angeles Times
11:03 PM PST, February 17, 2011



Reporting from Palo Alto — It's a template for success, and for heartburn.

Build a double-digit lead, watch it dwindle and ultimately hold on in the final minute.

UCLA used that formula again Thursday night at Maples Pavilion in a 69-65 victory over Stanford, going up by 16 points with 7 1/2 minutes to play only to sweat out its sixth consecutive triumph.

"This is a great team for TV ratings and keeping fans involved for sponsors all the way to the end," Bruins Coach Ben Howland said. "We should get some accommodations for it."

UCLA sophomore forward Reeves Nelson scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half, including three free throws that sealed the outcome after a barrage of three-pointers by Jeremy Green had pulled Stanford to within four points with 1:12 remaining.

The Cardinal had two more chances to cut into its deficit, but Green committed a turnover and missed a three-pointer as UCLA (19-7 overall, 10-3 Pacific 10 Conference) improved to 18-0 when it has led by at least 10 points.

It was a balanced effort for the Bruins. Sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt had 16 points and freshman Joshua Smith introduced himself to the Cardinal (13-12, 6-8) with 13 points and nine rebounds after sitting out the teams' first meeting last month with a head and neck injury.

"Nobody on this team really cares about stats," Nelson said. "We have so many options that are going to help the team win that we're going to use them."

Honeycutt was aggressive offensively in the early going, making three three-pointers and scoring 13 points to help the Bruins take a 36-29 halftime lead. He also had some sloppy moments, including back-to-back traveling violations that prompted Howland to briefly remove him from the game.

UCLA then repeatedly went inside to Nelson and Smith in the final 20 minutes. Smith had three offensive rebounds on one possession, helping the Bruins amass 35 rebounds overall to Stanford's 26.

Smith made a variety of hustle plays in his 28 minutes, chasing down a rebound in the corner, diving to the floor for a loose ball and altering a shot to force a shot-clock violation.

"His big thing is being able to play really hard for major minutes," Howland said.

A block by Smith resulted in a layup by Nelson that gave the Bruins their largest lead, a 57-41 advantage with 7:26 left. Green then started heating up, splurging for 16 of his game-high 27 points over the remainder of the game.

Honeycutt missed three free throws in the final 1:22, including the front end of a one-and-one opportunity, to help fuel the Cardinal's comeback.

But after Green missed a three-point attempt with 22 seconds left and Stanford trailing by only four, Cardinal guard Aaron Bright wrapped his arms around Nelson and was called for an intentional foul.

Nelson made both free throws with 12 seconds to go, delighting a large and vocal contingent of Bruins fans.

Mental mistakes continued to hurt the Bruins, who committed 17 turnovers and suffered a few defensive lapses late in the game.

Ultimately, they overcame another late letdown to complete a season sweep of Stanford and will have two days off before trying to beat California for a second time this season.

"We're playing more together," Smith said. "It was up and down, but we stayed together."

___________


Stanford rally fizzles against deep Bruins

By Elliott Almond
Silicon Valley MercuryNews.com
Posted: 02/17/2011 10:26:39 PM PST
Updated: 02/18/2011 07:41:18 AM PST



Stanford took care of one big problem Thursday night against UCLA by stopping leading scorer Malcolm Lee.

But when it came to a really big problem, the Cardinal had little answer against 6-foot-10, 305-pound wide body Joshua Smith in a 69-65 Pacific-10 Conference defeat at Maples Pavilion.

Smith, a freshman from the Seattle area, had 13 points and nine rebounds. More than anything, his presence under the basket stymied Stanford in front of an announced crowd of 5,856.

"He's like two guys out there," Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins said. "It reminds me when I played against Shaquille O'Neal," the 7-1, 325-pound NBA star. "He's different than any other different post player you face in college."

Lee, a junior guard, had scored in double figures seven straight games but ended with five points. He came in averaging 13.8 per game.

But forward Reeves Nelson had 18 and Tyler Honeycutt 16 to lead the Bruins (19-7, 10-3 Pac-10) to their sixth win in a row to remain a half-game ahead of Washington for second place in the conference. UCLA's last defeat was Jan. 29 at Arizona 85-74.

It might have been a runaway except for Stanford guard Jeremy Green, who scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half. He made 5 of 8 from-3-point range but his long-range miss with 22 seconds left was the one he wanted back.

"I didn't make enough plays," he said. "I had a chance to close it out at the end."

But it was too much a burden for Green, who has scored at least 20 points in five straight games. Stanford's offense staggered against a withering UCLA defense. Freshman forward Anthony Brown added 15 and center Josh Owns had 12, but only three in the second half when Smith made it difficult to drive.

Smith attributed UCLA's resurrection to maturity.

"Now we play together," he said. "Early in the season when we made mistakes, guys were yelling at each other."

The Cardinal play united, but Dawkins said a lack of maturity stops his players from winning games such as Thursday's.

"At times we played well but it was in spurts," he said. "But you're not going to win a game like this unless you play well the whole way. We didn't deserve to win."

The 225th meeting between the two teams was close until midway through the second half before the Bruins built a comfortable 13-point margin with 14:48 left.

Or so it seemed, until freshman John Gage made a 3-pointer with 2:15 left to cut UCLA's lead to eight. Then Green made another with 1:12 left to make it 66-62.

Stanford (13-12, 6-8) could not get closer despite making six 3-pointers in the final 6:22.

With 52 seconds left Nelson was called for a charge while driving to the basket. Green had a turnover, and then Owens' foul put Honeycutt on the line. He missed both with 30 seconds left.

Yet again, Stanford couldn't capitalize when Green missed the open jumper with 22 seconds left. Nelsen scored UCLA's final six points on free throws to seal the victory.

The Bruins had held each of its previous five opponents below 40 percent shooting from the field. Stanford ended that streak by shooting 44.4 percent.

"The offense is still coming," Dawkins said. "But right now, we have lulls."



Click on boxscore to enlarge (from Yahoo Sports)