It's not up for debate: Carrick Felix does all the little things the Cleveland Cavaliers love
CLEVELAND, Ohio – As a coach who preaches and loves defense, Mike Brown cherishes parts of basketball that the most casual fan might overlook. Among his most sacred details?
Winning a "50-50 ball."
When Brown sees one of his Cavaliers players pursue a loose ball that has as much chance of going to the opponent as it does to his own team, when he sees that player come away with the basketball, he finds new appreciation and reason to gush.
Like he did with rookie Carrick Felix after the Cavaliers' 110-105 triumph over Orlando on Friday.
Late in the fourth quarter, Felix chased down a ball that was rolling toward the Cavaliers' bench.
At the time, Brown remembered thinking, "Don't even go after it."
Felix did, though, and came away with the ball, a new Cavaliers' possession and some momentum for his teammates who were trying to pull away from the Magic. It led to six straight baskets from fellow rookie Anthony Bennett, and the eventual win.
"That was the play of the game for me," Brown said. "I was so excited to watch it, I'm going to get on the plane and I'm going to watch it 3-4 times. Heck of a play. Heck of a play. Big play."
The fact that Felix was 0-for-3 for two points and two rebounds in just 15 minutes against the Magic
meant little. Details like winning 50-50 balls are what the 23-year-old guard from Arizona State can provide for the Cavaliers, why he was their second-round draft choice this year, and why he's earned praise during the preseason.
The 6-foot-6 sparkplug is the
kind of hustling, defense-first player that Brown loves, and who also happens to have a maturity not typically seen in rookies. Part of that might be because Felix is the rare four-year college player. He spent a year at community college at College of Southern Idaho. He earned both his bachelor's degree in communications and his master's degree in liberal arts and sciences.
And he has a 1-year-old daughter, Zayah, whom he FaceTimes with frequently enough that he was talking to her on an iPad just before Friday's game against Orlando.
"Carrick's game is mature. The way he carries himself, there's a real maturity about him that you guys can probably feel from talking to him," Brown said.
"He's a little unique compared to most guys you have coming out nowadays. ... He's had to work for everything he's gotten so far. So his mindset's a little different than most of the other guys."
For instance, Felix already knows that the small details make the big differences in basketball. He speaks about chasing down every ball in a way that undoubtedly delight Brown.
"Diving for the ball, chasing down loose balls, making 50-50 plays -- you've got to do what you've got to do," Felix said. "At the end of the day you can make as any shots in the world, but if you're not getting stops on defense, and doing the little things, you're not going to win the basketball game."
Like the play most probably overlooked in the Cavaliers' game against Orlando, the kind of play that Brown wants to watch on a looping repeat over and over again.
"To me, that's what helps you win games," Brown said. "To me, that's what helps you win playoff games."
It was a small step for Felix, but he's learning about the details that Brown finds most sacred.
"It's definitely a learning experience," Felix said of his training camp. "You've got to open your eyes and just be a sponge and soak up everything. You'll find your role and you'll find what your niche is. All I can really do is go out there and play hard, and eventually I'll find where I fit."
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2013/10/its_not_up_for_debate_carrick.html
Mike Brown is going to love this kid more & more. This kid won't be anywhere near buried on the bench.
