Sunday, October 14, 2001
Martin runs freely in Nets' victory
The Associated Press
Former University of Cincinnati star Kenyon Martin was running the court Saturday without any aftereffects from his second broken leg in two years.
“I'm having no problems with it, none whatsoever,” he said after scoring nine points in the New Jersey Nets' 98-86 victory exhibitioon victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
As UC coach Bob Huggins watched from a corner of the arena, Martin, whose rookie season ended with a broken leg last March, repeatedly sprinted down the court on fastbreaks and pulled off one of the game's best plays. He got a rebound, passed to Jason Kidd, trailed the play and got a pass for a dunk that tied it in the second quarter.
Another former local college star, Cleveland's Tyrone Hill, who had his number retired by Xavier, didn't make the trip because of a bad back.
Kerry Kittles scored 19 points, including the first and last baskets in an 18-point run that rallied the Nets.
Cavs guard Bryant Stith, who failed to score in 6 minutes during the Cavs' preseason opener, provided some of their most encouraging moments as they pulled ahead 59-47 early in the third quarter. He was 5-of-7 from the field and scored 10 points, giving the Cavs a scoring threat to complement Andre Miller and Lamond Murray.
Then the Nets got their fastbreak working and ran the Cavs ragged. Cleveland went nearly 6 minutes without a basket.
At halftime, coach Byron Scott had scolded the Nets for their weak showing to that point. The Cavaliers shot 53 percent in the first half and held the Nets to 16 points in the second quarter.
“I got on them a little bit,” Scott said. “In the third quarter, our intensity level really jumped. Guys started guarding people and we got out and ran, which is what we want to do. Our defense was the energizer.”
After they pulled out to a 59-47 lead, the Cavaliers got outscored 29-6 the rest of the third quarter.
“Being a young team, after we got the lead, I think they stopped playing,” Cavs coach John Lucas said. “I was kidding Chris (Mihm) that he was in his home run trot. They thought the game was over.”
Mihm scored 10 points in 22 minutes, but was limited by shin splints in his right leg.
“It feels like I'm running on needles,” Mihm said. “I sat out practice yesterday. I just have to make sure I'm getting my rest.”
NEW JERSEY (98) - Martin 3-8 3-5 9, Van Horn 3-7 3-3 9, MacCulloch 2-3 2-2 6, Kidd 1-4 5-6 7, Kittles 7-15 4-4 19, Armstrong 3-5 1-2 7, Dial 2-5 2-2 6, Harris 1-2 1-1 3, Marshall 1-2 6-8 8, Jefferson 3-4 2-2 8, Williams 2-4 0-0 4, Collins 1-4 6-8 8, Goodrich 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 31-66 35-43 98.
CLEVELAND (86) - Mihm 4-8 2-4 10, Murray 6-14 0-0 13, Doleac 3-10 0-0 6, Person 2-4 0-0 4, Miller 4-13 7-9 15, Goldwire 0-2 0-0 0, Rhodes 2-2 0-0 4, Coles 1-2 2-5 4, Smith 5-7 0-0 10, Langdon 1-6 0-0 3, Jones 6-11 1-2 13, Slater 0-0 0-0 0, King 0-1 0-0 0, Ndiaye 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 36-82 12-20 86.
New Jersey 25 16 35 22—98
Cleveland 26 23 16 21—86
3-Point goals—New Jersey 1-3 (Kittles 1-2, Kidd 0-1), Cleveland 2-12 (Murray 1-3, Langdon 1-4, Miller 0-1, Smith 0-1, Jones 0-3). Fouled out—None. Rebounds—New Jersey 35 (Kidd 5), Cleveland 47 (Jones 9). Assists—New Jersey 15 (Kidd 6), Cleveland 17 (Miller 13). Total fouls—New Jersey 23, Cleveland 30. Technicals—Kidd, Cleveland bench. A—3,124.
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Martin runs freely in Nets' victory 
