After watching Murray light up the floor in every performance since joining the Hawks, Smith's curiosity has raises a valid point.

In a league where teams are always bent on finding quality talent to fill out a roster, Murray has never been able to find a permanent home.

Until now.

The Hawks love his ability to operate in the open floor and the way he can heat up -- The Microwave has already been taken, so the Hawks are working on a fitting moniker -- at a moment's notice.

"I've honestly never seen anything like it," Hawks captain Joe Johnson said. "This cat gets buckets whenever he wants to. He just goes right by people. He goes around them, over them or whatever it takes.

"That takes a ton of pressure off of me as a scorer, because Flip gives us another dimension with his ability to take people off the dribble and finish."

Murray will take a particular interest in finishing off the Hawks' next opponent. The Hawks host Philadelphia in their home opener Saturday night at Philips Arena.

A Philadelphia native, Murray has spent the past week talking up his favorite baseball team (the World Series champion Phillies), but he reserves no love for the 76ers.

"I'm a Phillies and Eagles and Flyers fan," Murray said. "Anybody else, well, they're on their own."

Murray has plenty of fans in the Hawks' locker room.

"Just having Flip, who doesn't miss a beat, is a big-time boost for our team," Smith said. "Since I've been here we haven't had a veteran like that, a guy that can come off the bench and do work the way he does. I love watching the cat play."

HAWKS 99, MAGIC 85: The Hawks destroyed the Magic on opening night in Orlando at Amway Arena, trashing the defending Southeast Division champs before a sellout crowd. They did it with gritty defense, an electrifying tempo, and an unstoppable offensive performance that included contributions from up and down a new and improved roster.

It was a stunning performance for a Hawks team that won just 12 road games all last season. But for all the tough times the Hawks have endured over the years, times could be changing.

They've won back-to-back season openers for the first time since the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons. And they also won their road opener for the first time since the 1997-98 season.

"I think I was in high school then," Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson joked as he walked to a post-game television interview.