Sonics
Murray makes most of moment

By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter

	ANN HEISENFELT / AP Ronald Murray goes past Minnesota’s Fred Hoiberg for a shot in the second quarter. Murray scored 29 points as the Sonics beat the Timberwolves 89-87.
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MINNEAPOLIS — He is hardly recognizable to any of them now.

At least not to those who remember him in Milwaukee. A few will say they have always known Ronald Murray had this ability tucked deep inside him.

Behind that stoic poker face that gives away nothing — not a hint of worry or a glimpse of glee — he had so many believing that he was just another second-round pick from a tiny college few had ever heard of.

But nights like last night are changing all of that for the 6-foot-3 Sonics shooting guard.

Special moments like his game-winning, buzzer-beating jumper that gave the Sonics an 89-87 victory at Target Center are lifting him from the back of the sports pages and into the featured highlights on ESPN.

"I got the shot up and it went in," said Murray, explaining in his cool understated manner how he provided yet another miracle for a 4-1 Sonics team that stayed atop the Pacific Division standings.

Remember this night when Ray Allen, the All-Star Murray has replaced, returns from an ankle injury sometime next month.

And remember this game — the Sonics' first come-from-behind victory this season — when their high-scoring offense sputters like it did for much of the second half last night.

The Sonics don't need to score 100 points to win as they did in their three previous victories if they can fall back on performances like Murray's.

He was, to borrow Sam Cassell's word, "incredible."

"Coming into training camp last year ... he was like my son in Milwaukee," said Cassell, the Timberwolves' guard who played with Murray last season with the Bucks. "I told him, once the opportunity comes, he's got to be ready to take advantage of it."

Murray, in his second season, is doing just that; he has scored at least 22 points in each of the Sonics' five games.

Last night was the best performance of his young NBA career — 29 points and eight assists, both career highs.

His brilliance was on display in the fourth quarter last night as he scored 13 of Seattle's last 20 points.

"He's smart with the basketball and he can score at will," said backup center Jerome James, the Sonics' other unlikely hero last night, with 14 points and four rebounds in a season-high 26 minutes.

"He's Joe Dumars all over again," James said. "And he's strong. He's not going to back down."

Murray wouldn't let the Sonics quit when they trailed 80-72 with 5:26 left in the game.

Seattle appeared on the verge of exhaustion after racing to a 50-48 halftime lead and managing just 11 points in the third quarter.

The Sonics' wilting offense allowed Minnesota to seize control behind the dominant inside play of Kevin Garnett (26 points, 13 rebounds and four assists) and the perimeter attack of Latrell Sprewell (20 points and five assists).

But Murray turned the tables on his former teammate, pressuring Cassell into two costly fourth-quarter turnovers that resulted in three points and ignited Seattle's comeback.

During the final period, Murray dominated the ball offensively. Every play began with him, and if he didn't finish with a layup or a short jumper, then he found James underneath.

His no-look pass in traffic gave the Sonics center an uncontested dunk with 1:55 to play that gave Seattle its first lead (83-82) in the second half.

The momentum had temporarily swung toward the Sonics until Sprewell dropped a 25-foot three-pointer that tied the score at 87 with 14.5 seconds left.

Sonics coach Nate McMillan called a timeout and considered running a screen for Murray at the top of the key on Seattle's final possession. But the young guard and Sonics assistants made him rethink his choice.

"We went 1-4 Flat and (Murray) wanted the last shot," McMillan said. "It couldn't have been executed better."

With five seconds left and Sprewell blocking his path, Murray maneuvered around the Minnesota guard with a hard dribble to his left. He stopped near the free-throw line, faked a spin move, turned to his left and elevated for a jumper with a second remaining.

The off-balance jumper hit the front of the rim, bounced high, caromed off the glass and rattled around the rim before falling through the net as the buzzer sounded.

The Sonics bench erupted, McMillan pumped his fist and the players swarmed the court, where they circled and danced around their young star.

"I feel like I can get around anybody in the league," Murray said. "I feel like I'm quick enough. It doesn't matter that no one in the arena knows who I am. They'll know who I am in time."

Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com.

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company