Miller isn't performing in the role that I assumed he would take on this team. For all of the talk about Roy/LMA adapting their game to Miller, it would be nice if Miller started to adapt his game to Roy/LMA/and especially Oden ASAP.
That'd be great. What i really like about Miller, though, is to not only adapt to players, but adapt to each GAME differently. See, last night, he wan't really able to adapt to Roy, LMA, or Oden, since neither was in the game all that much. And that has been the case a lot of the preseason when Miller has been on the floor. Same with Rudy. So he has adapted by taking on more of a role to help the team win. We don't know what will happen in mid-November, January, etc. Based on seeing the way he controls his pace and his shot selctions and passes, I would say that he will adapt to them when he is able to play with them more often.
In the 4th quarter last night, once Brandon entered the game, with 8.5 minutes left in the game, he shot 1-3. 2 of the attempts, and the make, were layups, and the 20 footer was with the shot clock expiring. He didn't force up jump shots, he didn't look to be a ball hog. He played off of Brandon, and off of Greg. He adapted to them being in the game quite well, and played off of them quite well. Well to the tune of a 22-5 run.
You can go further and break down his entire game, as opposed to just taking a simple pass at the box score, and assuming the worst. His first shot came at the beginning of the second quarter. he missed a long jumper to try to beat the shot clock. On the floor with him was Bayless, Joel, Outlaw, and Webster. he had assists on their next two made baskets. After that, greg quickly entered and left, and Juwan howard came in for Martell. Andre/Bayless/Travis/Juwan/Joel. He missed a jumper, and then a layup on a fast break.
Blake then came in for Bayless, and Batum for Outlaw. Miller/Blake/Batum/Juwan/Joel. He made a layup. Then missed a layup. Then missed a shot right before the half he put up with the shot clock expiring. So in the first half, he went 1-6. he played aminute and a half with brandon. Hardly stealing shots from him. Played 45 seconds with Greg. Didn't steal shots from him either. In the third quarter, he didn't play at all with brandon, and played a minute and a half with Greg. Played in the third quarter, again, primarily with Joel, Travis, Blake or Bayless, Juwan, batum. There were two more instances in the third quarter where he had to force up a shot with the clock expiring. And one more in the 4th before Brandon entered. So I have counted I believe at least 5 attempts of his that were trying to beat the clock. And a good majority of his attempts with neither Greg or Brandon on the floor. In other words, he adapted well to the game, and what was needed of him. And that's something I have never seen Steve Blake do. Yes, Steve will have his big scoring nights. They're nights where he is hitting his iopen jumpers, and the team feeds him. It's not him making an effort to score because it is needed from him. He doesn't generally adapt to changing situations. Really, he doesn't have the ability to. he is what he is. That's why miller is better for this team, and will prove to be better for this team. Too often, when guys went cold, we were forced to watch them continue to be cold, because we had that and spot up shooters. Miller gives us one mroe player with the ability to score when it might be needed from the team. The ability to try to make something happen when nobody else is able or willing to.
rr7
