Cold night of shooting, but Miles not worried
It’s been a while since C.J. Miles had one of those C.J. Miles nights where he fills up the basket from beyond the arc.
On Saturday in Boston, it was downright un-Miles-like as he took and missed five attempts as the Raptors collapsed in the fourth quarter of a 110-99 loss to the Celtics.
Miles is now one for 12 from distance in the last two games, a shocking stat for a man who has made his name as one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA. The Raptors had an optional practice on Sunday but Miles was in the gym hoisting one threepointer after another trying to find his rhythm.
It’s how Miles made himself the shooter he is today, and there is nothing to suggest anything has changed in terms of his work habits.
Miles has had a rough first season in Toronto, but none of it will matter if he comes through when they need him most.
“I’m not saying I don’t care about what’s gone on, but just be ready when you need to be ready,” Miles said. “I’m a worker. I’m always here. I always figure it out and I’ll figure it out again.”
And he has the perfect coach in Dwane Casey, who has been around long enough to appreciate a track record.
Even after a tough night in Boston, Casey remained as upbeat as ever about his three-point specialist.
“I thought he had some good looks,” Casey said. “We are going to live with C.J. shooting those shots and those are his shots that he normally makes. That’s why he was in there against the zone. “We’ll take those shots and I know he will knock them down.” And if those shots don’t get knocked down until the playoffs begin, so be it.