Posted on Tue, Mar. 21, 2006
Murray helping Cavaliers break old habits
Recently-acquired guard feels comfortable stepping up during clutch time
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Breaking old habits is hard.
So getting someone who doesn't have them can be quite refreshing.
Though it isn't by design, and several coaches and general managers have taken steps to prevent it over the past several years, the results speak for themselves: The further along the Cavaliers' season gets, the greater the tendency for LeBron James' teammates to stand around and watch him in the fourth quarters of tight games.
During the past three years, this late-season phenomenon has been blamed on point guard play, injuries, bad offensive systems, the lack of shooters and, this season, too many shooters who prefer to spot up and wait for a pass.
For myriad reasons, when the Cavs are at their worst, James seems to be by himself on offense.
Enter Flip Murray, a player who, by NBA season standards, is still in November with the Cavs. He has played just 13 games with the team and is proving that sometimes being a neophyte in an offense has its advantages.
Murray's game differs from that of his teammates, with whom he plays in the fourth quarters. His primary instinct is to drive the ball.
Without 50 extra games to fall into the bad habit of watching James, Murray has been been a late-game antidote several times since his arrival at the trading deadline last month.
It isn't surefire by any means; he has been absent down the stretch in some losses.
The Cavs have swallowed several bad losses due to an offensive shutdown with him on the roster. His breath of fresh air in the lineup has helped win games, as well.
The latest example came Sunday, when Murray scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to help the Cavs rally from 15 points down to beat the Los Angeles Lakers. Taking advantage of the attention paid to James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Murray repeatedly took the ball to the basket.
Five of his six baskets in the fourth quarter were layups, not only because he has skill scoring around the basket, but also because he caught the Lakers, who expected James to handle things, napping.
``Flip stepped it up, and he stepped it up the right way,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ``He was aggressive, and he showed toughness, and he didn't settle. When he saw a chance to attack, he attacked and kept them on their heels.''
Murray has hit the game-winning shot in two of his 13 games with the Cavs. Sunday, it was a free throw; March 1 in Chicago, it was a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
Those two makes weren't his greatest contributions in those games. He was active in getting to the basket, scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter against the Bulls to help the Cavs get in position for the win.
In several other games he has been active in the fourth quarters, while some teammates have fallen into late-game routines.
In the Cavs' one-point win against the Toronto Raptors in Toronto two weeks ago, Murray had three driving layups in the fourth quarter that proved to be huge.
``I just go and play my game. Other guys have different personalities when they're out there,'' Murray said. ``I want to be that slasher that can get to the hole.''
Murray is averaging 13.5 points since coming to the Cavs and he has started the past 11 games. As long as Larry Hughes is out, he's going to be the starter at shooting guard.
Even if Hughes returns as expected, there's no doubt Murray will play a role in the playoffs.
``I've been here for a minute now, so all that new stuff is over and done with,'' Murray said. ``I'm comfortable here and what I'm doing.''
James honored
For the third time this season, and the sixth time in his career, LeBron James has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
In three games last week, James averaged 30.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
James, Gilbert Arenas, Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson are the only players to win the award three or more times this season.
