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CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Wesley Person bailed out Lamond Murray in regulation, allowing Murray to play the hero in the second overtime, as the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Sacramento Kings, 102-100, in their home opener. Scot Pollard turned an airball by Chris Webber into an acrobatic layup after snaring the ball in midflight and redirecting it into the basket with 3.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter, giving the Kings an 88-86 lead. Murray attempted to answer when he launched a 23-footer on Cleveland's ensuing trip but the ball fell at least a foot shy of the rim. Person leapt and intercepted the ball before it fell to the floor and threw up an improbable layup that swished through the twine after bounding off the glass as time expired. "When I tossed up that airball, I didn't even see Person tip it in," Murray said. The teams played to an 8-8 tie in the first overtime before Murray took control in the second extra session, scoring all six of his team's points, including the go-ahead free throws with 1:44 to play. "I couldn't make a free throw this year," Murray said. "I missed three in New Jersey (on Tuesday) and two in the first overtime that would have tied the score with two minutes left tonight. I just forgot about it the second time I got up there and just stroked it like I've been doing." The Kings had one final opportunity to knot the score when Chris Webber won a jump ball and tipped it to Doug Christie with just under two seconds to play. But Murray stepped up and stripped the ball from Christie as time finally expired. "I was a little laid back in the first overtime," Murray admitted. "But I got it into gear in the second one. I didn't know whether the ball would go to (Peja) Stojakovic or Christie. They tipped it to Christie and he didn't have a chance." Cleveland is 2-0 for the first time since 1996 and Sacramento slipped to 1-1 and will have to play three more games without starting point guard Jason Williams, who is serving a five-game suspension for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy. "It's a tough loss," Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. "We had so many chances to win and we had a nice comeback. I have to look at that last play when they tipped it in. But you have to play it out. Even though the shot was taken, you can't assume it's over with. You have to box out and get your hands on the ball." Murray scored 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting in 44 minutes. Webber had 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 50 minutes and Stojakovic added 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting for the Kings, who shot 36 percent (30-of-83) and lost the battle on the boards, 51-38. "I was passing the ball out every time because I trust these guys to shoot," Webber said of his strategy in overtime. "The first loss of the season is real hard to swallow." Cleveland has won 50 of its last 61 games in which it has scored 100 or more points. "Defense won the game for us," Cleveland coach Randy Wittman said. "We are not quite in sync offensively. But down the stretch, time after time we needed stops and we got them. We will work out the kinks and I'm not too worried about that." Bobby Jackson played the point in place of Williams for a second straight night and had 11 points, six rebounds and five assists, hitting all eight of his free throws. Point guard Andre Miller had 17 points and eight assists for the Cavs, who shot 47 percent (40-of-86) and scored 23 points off Sacramento turnovers. Cleveland appeared to have matters wrapped up in regulation when Chris Gatling's 15-footer made it 79-68 with 7:04 remaining. But Stojakovic made a driving layup, Webber a free throw and Pollard a three-point play before Stojakovic's 3-pointer made it 80-77 with 4:57 left. Miller responded with a 15-footer, but Stojakovic drained a 3-pointer and the Kings got even for the first time since the second quarter when Jackson hit two free throws to make it 84-84 with 1:30 left. Webber's 16-footer gave the Kings the lead but Miller made two free throws with 45 seconds left, setting the stage for the dramatics that forced overtime.
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