"Cavaliers forward Antawn Jamison weaves in and out of opposing players with ease many times throughout a game.

But what he does when shooting the basketball often leaves opposing players, and sometimes his own teammates, shaking their heads.

A scoop here. A flick there. An unorthodox floater there. Need a funky runner? He's got that, too. All of them turned heads and, more important, helped the Cavs take their opening series against the Chicago Bulls 4-1.

In each game, Jamison contributed a little bit more to the Cavs' efforts. He assumed a role Tuesday in Game 5 normally reserved for LeBron James and led the way by scoring 25 points, 20 coming in the first half.

For the series, he elevated his game. Jamison averaged 15.8 points and 7.7 rebounds during his 25 regular-season games with the Cavs. In the series against the Bulls, he averaged 19.4 points and 7.4 rebounds, but no effort was more valuable than the one Tuesday.

''It happens like that. Sometimes the ball comes your way, like it did in the first half, and I got into a rhythm,'' Jamison said of the scoring. ''LeBron said in the huddle to keep going at them, and I was able to get comfortable and knock down some shots to give us some momentum in the first half.''

His comfort hasn't come easily, but it was apparent in this series that he has made the adjustments to fit in with the skilled Cavs.

In Game 4 on Sunday, he and James worked the pick-and-roll effectively to victimize Luol Deng on numerous occasions; in the process, he scored 24 points. When the Cavs needed a huge bucket in Game 5, he and point guard Mo Williams worked the play for a 3-point basket that extended a lead over the Bulls.

His current production is what the Cavs envisioned when they acquired Jamison from the Washington Wizards in a three-team trade in February. His teammates certainly appreciate what he brings.

''He was great; he was the X-factor,'' James said after Game 4. ''I'm glad he is on our side because I have been on the other side of him for years.''

Jamison said he knows that he isn't necessarily needed to carry the scoring load on a regular basis, but that he has to be a presence otherwise.

''I have to be a factor in other ways, playing defense, diving for the loose ball,'' he said. ''If I can have that kind of presence on the team, we will be OK.''

Jamison's strength lies in how he plays offensively with that unorthodox style that he developed a couple of ways."