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Miami Heat’s Mike Miller scores 32
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By The Asociated Press
January 24, 2011
Miami, FL — A couple of hours after Mike Miller’s breakout night for the Miami Heat was in the books, Dwyane Wade used Twitter to send his regards.
“Dwyane who?” Wade wrote.
No, Wade’s starting job in Miami is not in jeopardy. Still, seeing Miller get rolling was probably the most important thing the Heat took away from Saturday’s 120-103 victory over Toronto. Taking advantage of a chance to start because Wade was home with a migraine, Miller scored 32 points, more than double his output for the season, and his highest scoring total since April 2008.
Miller hit 12 of 20 shots, 6 of 11 from 3-point range, and had the third 30-point, 10-rebound night of his 11-year career.
“It’s not like I forgot how,” Miller said. “It’s just a matter of getting out there and doing it. It was a matter of time.”
A lot of time, actually.
Miller was part of Miami’s series of roster-revamping moves last summer. He was the hand-picked sharpshooter — ranked No. 2 in the N.B.A. for 3-point accuracy last season — that Wade and LeBron James wanted to join the Heat, so Miami gave Miller a five-year, $25 million contract.
But during a preseason drill, his right thumb became caught in James’s practice jersey and snapped, tearing a ligament. Miller was out for two months after surgery on his shooting hand and has been slowly working his way back.
With Wade and Chris Bosh out for Saturday’s game, James approached Miller for a pregame pep talk.
“I’ve been in Mike’s ear,” James said. “We got Mike here for a reason. I think we all know why he was brought to this team, and that was to spread the floor for the attackers, myself and Chris and D-Wade.
“When he’s shooting the ball, it’s just like a practice shots. He’s got one of the best jump shots, one of the best releases, one of the best forms we have in this game.”
James’s message Saturday? Be aggressive. Miller listened.
What resulted was a dazzling second-quarter display in which much of the Heat offense ran through Miller. He looked for his shot at every chance, finishing with 22 points in 7 minutes 49 seconds — and even kicking himself after missing a 3-pointer with the Heat leading, 66-40, on the final possession of the half.
“I think when we go to New York, they’ll probably have Mike Miller on the scouting report,” James said, referring to Thursday’s game against the Knicks.
Miller’s role in the Heat rotation is still somewhat undefined. His big game against Toronto notwithstanding, Miller is not etched in quite yet for big minutes every night, especially with James Jones having a strong season and Eddie House playing particularly well lately.
For Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra, it is a nice problem to have.
“Some of this takes time,” Spoelstra said. “I’ve been saying this over and over: we live in a microwave society. I get it. I understand it.” But trying to come all the way back from an injury while the team is playing well, he said, is not as easy as one would think.
“There has to be a process there,” Spoelstra said.
The process is continuing.
Miller will keep playing with a brace on his thumb, most probably for the rest of the season. The break has healed, and the ligament is whole again, but plenty of soreness remains. He flexes the thumb often during games after contact, grimacing at times, and after a hard fall Saturday, he could accept only the most ginger of congratulatory slaps on his right hand.
Nights like Saturday’s, though, relieve the pain nicely.
“I’m going to deal with it the whole year,” Miller said. “But it’s not anything bad.”
NBA News Archive:
2011, 2010, 2009
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