NEW YORK, 21 March 2006 — Flip Murray scored 21 points, including the game-winning free throw with 3.4 seconds to play, to steal the spotlight from Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as the Cleveland Cavaliers edged the Los Angeles Lakers 96-95 on Sunday. James contributed 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Cavaliers but was ineffective down the closing stretch, hitting just one shot in the final six minutes.
In contrast, Murray was red hot in the final quarter, scoring 14 points while finishing with eight boards. Bryant, the NBA’s leading scorer, had a game-high 38 points for Los Angeles but watched his game winning jumper at the buzzer clang off the rim as the Lakers slipped to their fourth loss in five games. Lamar Odom flirted with a triple double in the defeat, hitting for 25 points, eight rebounds and nine assists while Smush Parker chipped in with 14 points. The Cavaliers trailed much of the contest, down 30-18 after the opening quarter and 63-49 at the intermission.
Cleveland slowly chipped away at the Lakers’ lead in the third but mounted their charge over the final 12 minutes beginning with a 15-0 run to open the fourth quarter. Murray sparked the burst with six points as the Cavaliers charged into the lead for the first time at 92-91.
Deadlocked at 95-95, Bryant fouled Murray, sending him to the foul line where he missed the first shots but sank the second to bring the Cleveland crowd to its feet.
In East Rutherford, Richard Jefferson poured in 28 points and Vince Carter added 23 points and six rebounds as the New Jersey Nets eased to a 100-89 win over the Dallas Mavericks, stretching their winning run to five games. Nenad Krstic contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds to the win as the Nets snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Mavericks stretching back six years to March 2, 2000. Dirk Nowitzki fired a game high 37 points for Dallas as the Mavs slipped to just their second defeat in eight games.
In Oakland, Mike Dunleavy nailed a season high 28 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to inspire the Golden State Warriors to a 98-89 win over Philadelphia 76ers, who continue to fade in the absence of injured All-Star Allen Iverson. Chris Webber had 21 points and nine rebounds as the 76ers absorbed their fourth straight defeat since Iverson, the NBA’s second leading scorer, injured his ankle last Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
