Certainly it will be interesting to see if the Wizards can build off Wednesday’s emotional and satisfying win over Cleveland.
One of the things I’ll be looking for is the increasing value and impact of Mike Miller, who has averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists over the last two games.
I asked Wizards head coach Flip Saunders yesterday if Miller’s growing impact surprised him: “That’s what I expected. Maybe other people didn’t.”
Okay, maybe the question needed to be rephrased. Here’s the deal, when Miller arrived in Washington, he never had any expectations of supplanting the Wizards’ big three — Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler. But his value has become strikingly apparent of late as the team has struggled offensively, and it begs the question as to whether he needs to assert himself earlier instead of becoming a fallback weapon when the rest of the guys are getting themselves going.
I asked Miller if his role has changed since his arrival: “I think it’s the same thing. I think it’s the same way, its just the last couple of games, guys have been struggling a little bit from the field, and when they do that I’ve got to be able to step in and make shots for them to alleviate some of that pressure.”
Blue collar, indeed.
As for his banged up left shoulder, which continues to trouble him during games, Miller said this: “It’s going to be [an issue] for a while. It’s no secret.”
