Clippers’ Jordan Miller stays prepared when his quantity is named – Orange County Register

INGLEWOOD — Sophomore ahead Jordan Miller is aware of the significance of staying prepared. A coach can name on him at any time, so he prepares each sport as if he had been within the rotation.

But Miller was caught off guard when coach Tyronn Lue known as him off the bench to exchange Amir Coffey on the court docket in Wednesday’s match towards the Orlando Magic. It was factor he was prepared for the sport.

Coffey had began instead of Norman Powell, who was out with left hamstring soreness, leaving a rotation spot open. Earlier than this match, Lue even remained tight-lipped about his plans when talking to reporters.

“The round shot was my first clue, however nobody on the teaching employees informed me that earlier than the sport,” Miller mentioned Friday. “It was simply a kind of instances the place your quantity is named and it’s important to be prepared, you already know?”

Miller did not let the teaching employees down, scoring eight factors and grabbing three rebounds and an help in 16 minutes, proving to be a stable choose if wanted.

He was as soon as once more Lue’s first selection throughout the Victory 104-88 towards the Sacramento Kings and is anticipated to play the same function when the crew travels to Philadelphia for a sport Sunday towards the 76ers. Powell is listed as out for this sport.

“I am making an attempt to depart impression as a result of I do not know what it will seem like when Norm comes again,” Miller mentioned. “However they’ll see that I am a stable participant, and if one thing goes fallacious (accidents) or we’d like a spark, the coach can have extra confidence in me to maneuver ahead moderately than not enjoying.”

Miller mentioned it was “big” to profit from these alternatives. He spent a lot of his first season within the G League and stays underneath a two-way contract with the Clippers. He performed one sport with the San Diego Clippers this season earlier than transferring to his everlasting locker on the Intuit Dome.

“I am unable to stress sufficient about me and Kobe (Brown),” mentioned Miller, who’s in the identical draft class as Brown. “We work very onerous. Lots of people do not actually see it, however we now have to be prepared for instances like these, so hopefully we will reap the benefits of it.

Miller, 24, credit his time enjoying within the G League for growing and honing the talents he possessed on the College of Miami. He averaged 26.7 factors and seven.9 rebounds in 23 common season video games and 22 factors and 6.7 rebounds in 16 Showcase Cup video games final season.

He did, nonetheless, make his mark throughout the 2024 NBA Summer season League, the place his burgeoning expertise was on show. He was first crew All-Summer season League and was runner-up to Brooklyn Nets ahead Jalen Wilson for Participant of the Yr honors.

Miller’s summer time efficiency did not assure him a spot within the rotation coming into this season. He did not press on about it, discovering his scenario considerably irritating — too good for the G League however caught in limbo on a gifted roster.