MILES COMFORTABLE IN SECONDARY ROLE
RAPTORS’ VETERAN SETS THE EXAMPLE FOR SECOND UNIT
The Toronto Raptors had just won their first road game of the 2017-18 season the other night in Los Angeles but rather than celebrate, veteran newcomer C. J. Miles took to his Twitter feed and promised to be better.
But what sounded like discouragement wasn’t discouragement at all. It was, in fact, a reaffirmation of his perseverance to get better.
“No, not discouraged but understanding that winning doesn’t always cure everything,” Miles, the old man in coach Dwane Casey’s second unit said, indicating he was a little ticked off at himself for not responding well to what the Lakers were doing to him the other night in Los Angeles.
“There are still a lot of things we could have done better and things I could have done better,” Miles said following a practice at UCLA before boarding a charter to Portland for Monday’s game against the Trail Blazers.
“I felt like I let (the Lakers) fluster me and rush me because of the way they were hitting and bumping and grabbing me.
“They made me rush shots and take shots out of frustration instead of just playing the game and using my skill set to the best of my advantage. I can’t do that when I’m on the floor with four young guys. I need to be the guy setting the example.’’
There have already been suggestions that perhaps Miles is better suited with the starting five and perhaps a struggling Norm Powell would be more comfortable playing with the young bench guys.
Miles says that’s a decision that is way above his pay grade. He feels comfortable in the role in which he’s been placed for the first five games of the season.
“I do believe that it helps for me to be on the second unit,” Miles said. “I know everybody wants to start and everything but I look at the big picture and understanding that what we are trying to build is a whole unit and not just a starting five because they can’t be on the floor for a whole 48 minutes. We need to find a balance so it does make sense.
“And it helps me also to create a rhythm for myself when I’m back in the game being the third or fourth option when I’m out there basically floor- spacing at the end of games (with the starters). It allows me to be aggressive early on and be aggressive with that second unit and try and get myself into the game and assert myself to find shots and just try to be free. It’s been good for me personally and also as a unit I think.”
Miles laughs at the rush every- one seems to be in to make judgments on a team just five games into the year.
“It’s the beginning of the season,” he said. “You never empty the puzzle box out and the pieces hit the floor and they all just fit together. It doesn’t work that way. It takes time.”
And both the starting unit and the second unit need time to gel in Miles’ opinion.
“There are going to be nights when it doesn’t click the same,” he said. “You have to go through those nights so guys can build the trust in what we are trying to build. They have to be able to see they can stick with it and come out the other side. Right now it’s great that we are hitting these bumps and at the same time making some strides this early. I believe this is going to be great.”
The next chance at greatness comes Monday in Portland for a 10 p.m. EST tipoff.