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Thon Maker stuffs J.R. Smith after series of dribble moves

By Alex Butler

March 20 (UPI) -- Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith was absolutely stuffed by Milwaukee Bucks big man Thon Maker after he tried to pull off an array of dribble moves.

The sequence occurred at the end of the first quarter in the Cavaliers' 124-117 win against the Bucks Monday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

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Smith brought the ball inside the 3-point line on a Cavaliers possession. He dribbled once behind his back, blindly throwing the ball from his left hand to his right hand. The move fooled Maker only slightly.

Smith then used his off-hand to create separation, before throwing up a shot with his right hand.

It had no chance of going in. Maker used his 7-foot-1, 223-pound frame to tower over the 6-foot-6 Smith. The forward/center palmed the shot and threw it down to the floor emphatically, as Smith threw his body on the floor in an attempt to get a foul call.

"I thought Thon played an outstanding game and gave us very good minutes whenever he was on the floor," Bucks coach Joe Prunty told reporters after the game.

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Maker had 12 points in the loss, while Smith tallied five points for the Cavaliers. Maker, 21, is averaging 4.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game in his second NBA season.

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