When he came into the NBA, Eric Murdock was leaving Providence College as the NCAA’s Division I all-time leader in steals.
“Yeah, I guess I’ve always been known for defense,” admitted Murdock, now the Nets’ backup point guard.
So it should hardly be a surprise that any struggle – aside from a conditioning problem that is gnawing at both player and his coach – is more on the offensive end. Especially considering that Murdock is coming from Pat Riley’s system to John Calipari’s.
Riley’s offense is strict, disciplined and as wild and zany as vanilla ice cream. Calipari’s way is Rocky Road Apple Fudge Walnut Mint Chip with assorted mix-ins.
It takes a little getting used to but Murdock, the free-agent pickup who is assuming Sherman Douglas’ role behind Sam Cassell, is starting to get the hang of it.
“It was a pretty controlled game [in Miami],” said Murdock, 30, a 6-1 New Jersey native. “Basically, we had to get the ball inside to Alonzo [Mourning] and then get to a spot. Everybody had to do certain things. There was no real improvising out there, so you really couldn’t play your game there.
“You were pretty much handcuffed,” Murdock said. “Here, you can pretty much go out there and play. He lets you play. That’s going to be a change for me but it’s something I’ll be able to adjust to. It’s a natural reaction.”
If you can adjust to Riley’s way, you can always adjust back.
“It was difficult adjusting a little bit, but it gets beaten into you head so much that this is the right thing to do, the right way to play,” Murdock said of his season with the Heat. “And with Riley, you’ve got so much confidence in him because he’s won so many championships, it wasn’t that hard to adjust.”
What was a little hard was accepting as fact what Calipari wanted and expected (other than that conditioning thing – Murdock admitted he was seven pounds over when he reported). The coach got on Murdock not for hoisting a shot. But for not shooting.
“That was a surprise,” said Murdock, who averaged eight shots, 4.0 assists and 10.0 points in the Nets’ pre-season split with the Knicks.
“If we’re to sprint to get 15-footers is there a difference between that or getting in a halfcourt offense or to sprint to get a dribble drive? What’s the difference? There is no difference,” Calipari said. “A walk-it-up team, a grind-it-out screening team is trying to get good shots.
“That’s all we’re trying to do and if we’re getting him sprinting the floor what is the difference? This isn’t run and gun. If this is a bad shot, you ain’t taking it. So this will be good for him. He’s going to be able play.
“But he’s still got to get in shape,” Calipari said. “He’s not there yet and that’s kind of disappointing. But he knows it and he’s going to play a role here that he’s got to get in shape to do.”
Obviously, Murdock will not be a mad bomber or a Cassell-type with the second unit. He still is a solid defensive player. And for all the talk of offensive style, Murdock will still be known for his defense, especially on a unit where he can play with center Jim McIlvaine. And especially after spending some time with Riley where a mantra is “defend or die.”
“I’ve always been a good defensive player,” Murdock said. “Riley just brought the best out in me defensively. Get in the right spots on the floor and just playing with a lot of energy. When I’m not playing hard and moving around and active, I’m not a very good player. I have to make plays on the defensive end.” *
Seems like some things don’t change. In their two pre-season games, Nets shot .376 (62 of 165). But, as coach John Calipari likes to stress, they do get off their shots. Consider in the same two games, the Knicks put up 135 shots, an average of 67.5. that’s a full 15 less per game than Nets … Kerry Kittles says there is no way he can play opening night. But Sam Cassell remains the eternal optimist – at least for his teammate. “He’ll be ready for the first game,” Cassell predicted. “When I hurt my elbow [once], it’s like ‘It’s bad’ but once you get through that you’re fine. You don’t want to rush him but our next game is like 10 days off. You can do a lot of resting and rehabing in 10 days.”
Jayson Williams and Nets each donated $20,000 to the part-time employees of the Meadowlands Arena to make up for lost wages during the lockout.
