Murray Is Feeling Quite Cavalier

For five seasons Lamond Murray wore the red, white and blue uniform of the Clippers and made it no secret he was happy when he was traded to Cleveland last summer.

Monday night, Murray got a chance to face his old team and he did his best to make sure the Clippers did not leave Cleveland with a victory.

“I could have played a lot better, especially down the stretch when I missed a couple of easy ones,” said Murray, who scored a team-high 20 points and grabbed four rebounds in 35 minutes.

“But all together we got the victory and that is all that matters. It wasn’t a personal thing for me at all. I was just playing my game the way I’ve been playing the last 10 games. I’m just trying to stay consistent.”

*

Cleveland rookie point guard Andre Miller, who attended Verbum Dei High in Los Angeles, had a big game for the Cavaliers with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists off the bench.

He was able to penetrate at will in the second half. Miller scored six consecutive points for the Cavaliers during a key stretch in the third quarter that helped offset the Clippers’ 73.7% shooting.

“He played very well for them,” Clipper Coach Chris Ford said. “Our big guys were supposed to be stepping out and hedging and we just didn’t get the job done. He was able to turn the corner on us.”

Said Miller, who attended the University of Utah and worked out with the Clippers before the draft: “I was just trying to be aggressive off the pick-and-rolls and trying to keep the tempo going fast even though they were making their shots.”

*

Lamar Odom was selected to play in this season’s rookie challenge on NBA All-Star Saturday Feb. 12 at the Arena in Oakland. Odom will join seven other rookies in a game against eight second-year players who did not get to play last season because of the NBA lockout. Clipper center Michael Olowokandi will play on the sophomore team.

“It’s a great honor to be picked to play,” said Odom, who ranks among the top rookies in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, steals and assists.

“I did not take it for granted that I was going to play. I really didn’t know. It’s going to be great to take part in such an entertaining event.”