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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Cleveland Cavaliers simplified their
offense in the fourth quarter Tuesday night and for a while ran
just one play. It was called, "Get the ball to Lamond".
Lamond Murray scored Cleveland's first nine points of the fourth
and had 14 of his 24 in the first 5:18 of the period as the
surprising Cavaliers continued their fast start with a 96-86
victory over the Golden State Warriors.
"You've got to stick with what's working," said Cavs guard
Bimbo Coles. "He (Lamond) made some shots and I said, 'Hey, I'm
coming to you until you get tired or your arm falls off.' "
Cleveland got sloppy down the stretch and allowed Golden State
to pull within four points before holding on to improve to 6-1 this
season.
"Am I surprised that this team is doing what it's doing?"
asked Cavs coach Randy Wittman. "No. I can't imagine anyone could
foresee us being 6-1. But we worked hard in training camp and this
team has responded."
The Cavs, who have won their six games by a total of 33 points,
will play the unbeaten Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
"I've heard they're 7-0," Coles said.
Andre Miller added 19 points, nine assists and nine rebounds in
just 28 minutes for the Cavs, who are 4-0 at home for the first
time since 1991-92.
The Warriors, playing without Danny Fortson, the NBA's top
rebounder, were led by Antawn Jamison's 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Larry Hughes added 17 points on 4-of-18 shooting and Chris
Mullin, making his first start for Golden State since 1997, had 13.
The Warriors shot only 33 percent from the floor and were just
5-of-22 in the fourth.
"We had the right guys taking the shots," Jamison said. "We
were executing the offense, but not making the shots."
Murray was benched for the entire fourth quarter in a win over
Washington on Saturday night because of poor play. If he was mad,
he took it out on the Warriors.
Using his superior speed to free himself of the 37-year-old
Mullin, Murray drilled two jumpers to start the fourth and made
five straight free throws during a 14-0 burst that gave Cleveland
an 84-71 lead with 6:42 remaining.
"We were struggling and we were looking for somebody to step up
and make some shots," Murray said. "I just got hot."
Jamison brought the Warriors back by himself, scoring nine
points in a 10-1 run that made it 85-81 with 3:23 left.
But Miller, who picked up three quick fouls in the third quarter
and had to sit out, drove the lane and fed Zydrunas Ilgauskas for a
dunk. Miller then scored on a layup to put the Cavs ahead 90-81.
The Cavs have beaten the Warriors 10 straight times in
Cleveland.
"Everybody knows Murray is a scorer," Jamison said. "When a
guy like that gets it going, it doesn't make a difference what you
do sometimes. They started running plays for him. When they do that
it's real difficult. They recognized him and went to him."
Fortson, leading the league in rebounds with 16.3 per game, sat
out with a sore right foot.
The Cavs took a 56-48 lead with 4:57 left in the third quarter
on two free throws by Clarence Weatherspoon, and Cleveland looked
like it was ready to roll to an easy win.
But the Warriors outhustled the Cavs and took a 59-56 lead when
Hughes picked off a lazy pass and converted a three-point play with
3:12 remaining in the quarter.
Warriors guard Vinny Del Negro rolled his left ankle trying a
desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the first half and did
not return.
Game notes After committing 87 turnovers in their last three games,
the Warriors had only 13. ... Cavs F Chris Gatling sat out with a
bruised left knee. ... Warriors guard Bob Sura was back at Gund
Arena for the first time since being traded this summer by the
Cavs. Sura, who spent four seasons in Cleveland, has been on the
injured list all season with a strained lower back. "It's been
frustrating," said Sura, who needed 34 tickets to accommodate
friends and family. "I know the strength coach and trainers better
than my teammates." ... Cavs G/F Wesley Person was placed on the
injured list before the game with a bruised right elbow. F J.R.
Reid was activated.
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NBA Scoreboard
Golden State Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Atlanta 99 Portland 97
Cleveland 96 Golden State 86
Miami 89 Charlotte 86
Sacramento 96 Orlando 82
Houston 110 Chicago 83
San Antonio 86 Utah 79
Seattle 96 New York 75
LA Lakers 119 Denver 103
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