H1Man
12-11-2006, 10:50 PM
Murray unlikely to stay in Detroit
Pistons reserve guard wants to be a starter and integral part of offense.
You get the feeling, talking to him, that Pistons reserve guard Flip Murray is just passing through.
He signed a two-year contract with the Pistons over the summer, with the second year being his option. He almost certainly will test the free-agent waters again next summer.
Why? Because Murray doesn't see himself as a "reserve" player. He sees himself as the kind of player he was in the second quarter at Orlando on Friday night, when he became, for that stretch of time, the Pistons' No. 1 scoring option.
Matched up against the smaller Jameer Nelson, Murray scored eight quick points to resuscitate the Pistons and send them on their way to an impressive 87-83 victory.
"That's the kind of basketball I have played my whole life," said Murray, 27, who wound up scoring 13 points in 30 minutes. "I've always been in that situation (No. 1 option). I just haven't found the right comfort zone in the NBA yet, where I can be that person."
It's not that he is uncomfortable, or disenchanted, with the Pistons. Far from it. He seems to very much enjoy being a part of this team and has willingly accepted his backup role. It's just that, being a solid backup isn't his career goal, and it doesn't appear that all-stars Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups are going anywhere anytime soon.
"I am just a little piece to this puzzle, man," Murray said. "I come out and try to play and do whatever I can to help the team. But I know I am not the first option, or the second, third or fourth option, when I am out there. Whatever (play) they call, it's my job to get the ball to that person. When things break down, and I have an opportunity to make things happen, I'll do it."
Actually, Murray is understating his role a bit. With Lindsey Hunter out because of a sore right Achilles tendon for the time being, Murray is the primary backup to point guard Billups. In that capacity, yes, he has to be more of a facilitator than a scorer.
But the Pistons signed Murray to score. The plan was, and still is, for him to be one of the main offensive options off the bench. Even with Hunter out, coach Flip Saunders has found ways to tap Murray's offensive skills, like he did in Orlando, where he paired him with Billups to create the mismatch on Nelson.
Murray, though, hasn't been able to sustain a consistent rhythm. In the last six games, he has averaged 22 minutes. He scored 10 points at Miami, then none against the Knicks in the next game. He had six points at Charlotte, then 11 against Portland. He scored two in Dallas, then broke out for 13 in Orlando.
Up, down, down, up.
"That's how he was with us," said Portland coach Nate McMillan, who coached Murray in Seattle for parts of four seasons. "He was a guy that, the way he plays, it was hard to put him in as a backup. He needs to get into a rhythm. He's a scorer and playing a reserve role doesn't give him the opportunity to be consistent."
The Pistons aren't likely to accept that, however. They are hoping that as the season progresses, Murray will find a comfort level with his 20-25 minutes a night.
"I am not worried about it," Murray said. "Coming off the bench, our job is to come in and provide energy, try to get things going and get us into a rhythm. I think we've been doing that."
Hard to argue with him there. Last season through 20 games, the Pistons' top four bench players -- Antonio McDyess, Carlos Arroyo, Maurice Evans and Carlos Delfino -- averaged 57.3 minutes. This season, Saunders has been consistently using 10 players per game. Through 20 games, the top four reserves -- McDyess, Murray, Delfino and Hunter -- have averaged 65 minutes. Add Dale Davis and Jason Maxiell, and the Pistons are getting 77 minutes of bench work.
Twenty minutes more per night off the bench is a significant increase, but not enough for Saunders.
"It's still a work in progress," Saunders said. "We went through a stretch after the bad start where we had to play our starters for longer stretches so they could find their rhythm. Now, hopefully we can start backing them off a little more."
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061211/SPORTS0102/612110349/1127
[smilie=greenapple.:
Pistons reserve guard wants to be a starter and integral part of offense.
You get the feeling, talking to him, that Pistons reserve guard Flip Murray is just passing through.
He signed a two-year contract with the Pistons over the summer, with the second year being his option. He almost certainly will test the free-agent waters again next summer.
Why? Because Murray doesn't see himself as a "reserve" player. He sees himself as the kind of player he was in the second quarter at Orlando on Friday night, when he became, for that stretch of time, the Pistons' No. 1 scoring option.
Matched up against the smaller Jameer Nelson, Murray scored eight quick points to resuscitate the Pistons and send them on their way to an impressive 87-83 victory.
"That's the kind of basketball I have played my whole life," said Murray, 27, who wound up scoring 13 points in 30 minutes. "I've always been in that situation (No. 1 option). I just haven't found the right comfort zone in the NBA yet, where I can be that person."
It's not that he is uncomfortable, or disenchanted, with the Pistons. Far from it. He seems to very much enjoy being a part of this team and has willingly accepted his backup role. It's just that, being a solid backup isn't his career goal, and it doesn't appear that all-stars Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups are going anywhere anytime soon.
"I am just a little piece to this puzzle, man," Murray said. "I come out and try to play and do whatever I can to help the team. But I know I am not the first option, or the second, third or fourth option, when I am out there. Whatever (play) they call, it's my job to get the ball to that person. When things break down, and I have an opportunity to make things happen, I'll do it."
Actually, Murray is understating his role a bit. With Lindsey Hunter out because of a sore right Achilles tendon for the time being, Murray is the primary backup to point guard Billups. In that capacity, yes, he has to be more of a facilitator than a scorer.
But the Pistons signed Murray to score. The plan was, and still is, for him to be one of the main offensive options off the bench. Even with Hunter out, coach Flip Saunders has found ways to tap Murray's offensive skills, like he did in Orlando, where he paired him with Billups to create the mismatch on Nelson.
Murray, though, hasn't been able to sustain a consistent rhythm. In the last six games, he has averaged 22 minutes. He scored 10 points at Miami, then none against the Knicks in the next game. He had six points at Charlotte, then 11 against Portland. He scored two in Dallas, then broke out for 13 in Orlando.
Up, down, down, up.
"That's how he was with us," said Portland coach Nate McMillan, who coached Murray in Seattle for parts of four seasons. "He was a guy that, the way he plays, it was hard to put him in as a backup. He needs to get into a rhythm. He's a scorer and playing a reserve role doesn't give him the opportunity to be consistent."
The Pistons aren't likely to accept that, however. They are hoping that as the season progresses, Murray will find a comfort level with his 20-25 minutes a night.
"I am not worried about it," Murray said. "Coming off the bench, our job is to come in and provide energy, try to get things going and get us into a rhythm. I think we've been doing that."
Hard to argue with him there. Last season through 20 games, the Pistons' top four bench players -- Antonio McDyess, Carlos Arroyo, Maurice Evans and Carlos Delfino -- averaged 57.3 minutes. This season, Saunders has been consistently using 10 players per game. Through 20 games, the top four reserves -- McDyess, Murray, Delfino and Hunter -- have averaged 65 minutes. Add Dale Davis and Jason Maxiell, and the Pistons are getting 77 minutes of bench work.
Twenty minutes more per night off the bench is a significant increase, but not enough for Saunders.
"It's still a work in progress," Saunders said. "We went through a stretch after the bad start where we had to play our starters for longer stretches so they could find their rhythm. Now, hopefully we can start backing them off a little more."
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061211/SPORTS0102/612110349/1127
[smilie=greenapple.: