The other Brown is a key sub

Devin Brown is valuable off the bench for coach Mike Brown and the Cavs.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers coach Mike Brown likes to rib his players — especially Devin Brown, part of the team’s San Antonio connection — but he knows the value of the player who is one of his keys off the bench.

Devin Brown, no relation to the coach, has come in for his share of good-natured insults from Mike Brown.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound guard was throwing down dunks last week in the Cavaliers’ victory over the Seattle SuperSonics and his coach couldn’t help commenting.

“When he starts going up for a dunk, sometimes in my mind I say, ‘Noooooo,’ ” Mike Brown said. “Right when you are about to close your eyes you kind of peek and he barely gets that ball over the rim. I’m happy for him. I hope he keeps doing it, I just don’t want him to pull a muscle or anything.”

Devin Brown, responded, “Man, tell him to go to the tapes. I’ve been dunking on people for years.”

Mike Brown shot back, “I don’t know if you’ll find many tapes, especially from his University of Texas-San Antonio days because those games weren’t on TV.”

The two Browns are wearing the Cavaliers’ colors, but they are both former San Antonio Spurs.

That makes their relationship different from Mike Brown’s with the rest of the team.

Devin Brown helped the Spurs win the 2004-05 NBA championship.

Mike Brown was an assistant on the Spurs’ 2002-03 championship team.

Devin Brown, who was signed just before training camp to a $1.2 million, one-year deal, is a 29-year-old journeyman who knows his role. He’s a key player off the Cavaliers’ bench as the team approaches midseason with a 19-18 record. His contributions have made it an important move for general manager Danny Ferry, another ex-Spur.

Brown is averaging 6.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and shooting just 38 percent from the field, But his ability to come off the bench to play several positions has been valuable. The bench has been key to the Cavaliers’ recent success. They have won seven of their last nine games.

When Mike Brown was looking for a workable rotation earlier this season, Devin Brown spent much time on the bench. However, he remained calm and waited for his chance and took advantage of it when it came.

Now Brown, a last-minute signing without impressive stats, has become an indispensable part of the Cavs’ rotation. And an easy target for his coach’s humor.