At the end of each year, we repeat the same ritual: New Year’s resolutions. These are the goals we try to achieve throughout the following 12 months.
Jordan Miller has also done this, but he is already achieving those goals.
In the NBA—a league where time and opportunities don’t wait—many players fall short of their goals. Jordan Miller is not one of them. With
Derrick Jones Jr.‘s injury, the Los Angeles Clippers have needed more from Miller. And he has responded to the opportunities with production and relentless effort.
Jordan Miller’s Numbers
In the last thirteen games, Miller has become a fixture in the rotation, even earning some starts. Miller is averaging more than 25 minutes per night in a 10-3 streak for the Clippers. In this streak, the 26-year-old forward has been putting up 14.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. And when Coach Lue has given more playing time, he has responded, as seen by his 19 points against Toronto and 21 against Brooklyn.
His season averages also reflect his growth. Jordan Miller started out playing 45 games with the Clippers in his first two years, with little playing time. Fast forward to now, and he’s already played in 28 games this season, averaging 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. On top of that, he’s shooting over 50% from the field and 37.9% on three-point shots.
When Opportunity Knocks in Los Angeles
In a season for the Clippers that seemed lost due to injuries,
Tyronn Lue has had to pivot. He’s had to rely on players without much previous playing time, and Jordan Miller has responded positively.
Miller spent several years in the organization, dominating the G-League with a string of contracts. He was even cut before re-signing a two-way deal with the Clippers.
Jordan Miller wondered, “Where do I fit into this puzzle?” “If you don’t produce, you’re back on the bench.”
But Miller has taken on the challenge. Lue acknowledged that they always believed in him, and both Kawhi and Harden have highlighted his confidence and constant preparation.
With one standard contract spot still available on the roster, a question has begun to float around the Intuit Dome: Has Jordan Miller earned more than just a few minutes? His answer, as always, does not come in the form of a promise.
“That’s really the theme of the year this year,”
he said recently. “Show everybody you belong.”
In a league where rotation spots are earned nightly and patience is a luxury few can afford, two-way contracts often represent the thinnest line between opportunity and obscurity. For Jordan Miller, this season has become about turning minutes into certainty.
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