Cavaliers’ World Free Feels Liberated With His New Role Coming Off Bench

The role of a sixth man held little allure for Cleveland Cavaliers’ guard World B. Free until he realized the job, done properly, is inherently glorious.

“It’s like the old saying, it’s not who starts the game, but who finishes it,” says the 30-year-old Free, who found new life when he was benched by Coach George Karl this season.

Free still considers himself an integral part--perhaps the integral part--of the Cavaliers’ offensive game plan. And he’s now taking considerable consolation in the feeling he gets when the Coliseum crowd cheers as he gets off the bench and sheds his warm-up suit.

“Like Superman? Yeah, that’s inspirational, because the people are expecting me to do something. I look forward to that,” Free said.

The role is not a natural one for the nine-year NBA veteran, who has not been a substitute since his first three years in the NBA at Philadelphia.

Free, though, is beginning to think it might add a few years to his career and a few dollars to his bank account, which was enriched by the three-year, $1.7 million contract he signed with Cleveland in 1983.

“I suppose I’ll get some more bids from other teams once my contract is up, because I’m showing I can come off the bench,” he said. “I haven’t been wearing a long face anymore. Whatever they want me to do off the bench--pass the ball, play defense or score--I’m doing for them. I think this could be making me a more powerful player.”

Never shy about taking a long jumper or hurtling his 6-foot-3 body into the lane in hopes of drawing a foul, Free has become even bolder since Karl gave him permission to look for the three-point shot.

“I’m going to shoot it because it’s there,” he said. “It’s exciting, and the people get off when you hit it. Besides that, it’s that extra point when it falls.”

Free made five of the three-point bombs in one game in Chicago, and he hit 20 of 49 three-point attempts, for a 41% average, in his first 26 games this season.

“When he gets hot, there’s little anyone can do to stop him,” said New Jersey Nets’ Coach Stan Albeck after a recent loss to the Cavaliers. “And he provides them with that kind of offense off the bench.”

Early in the season, Free was providing little offense at all. He started nine of Cleveland’s first 10 games and was averaging only 13.7 points a game, well under his career average of 21.3 points. He was also making only 39% of his field goal attempts.

Things went downhill from there, as he suffered a groin injury, missed eight games, played once and then missed two more games because of pulled teeth.

In 16 games after returning from the groin injury, however, Free did not start once--and he averaged 20 points a game on 45% shooting.

He’s also been playing well in other phases of the game, handing out a fair amount of assists and turning in a decent day’s work on defense. Free says that’s nothing new.

“I’m a better defensive player than I’m given credit for,” he said.