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Miami Heat veterans finding their niche
Together, they have scored 28,232 points, drained 3,707 three-pointers and hit a ton of big shots.
But on perhaps the deepest Heat team in history, Mike Miller, Rashard Lewis and James Jones are essentially 10th through 13th men – center Joel Anthony is lumped in that group now, too – reduced to spare parts on a roster rich in shooters.
Lewis and Miller are sharing the 10th spot in Erik Spoelstra’s 10-man rotation, with Lewis usually getting the nod in recent games until Spoelstra chose to play neither Monday night against Charlotte.
Jones has been nearly invisible all season, playing 73 minutes and scoring 23 points.
The three skilled shooters “are good soldiers and very professional, but they’re pissed,” Dwyane Wade said good-naturedly.
“They want to play. You want guys like that. You don’t want guys who are just happy to be along for the ride. They understand when they signed up there’s a possibility this might occur.”
None have complained and all have handled their roles with class.
Miller’s minutes have taken the biggest hit, largely because of the addition of Ray Allen, Spoelstra’s faith in Shane Battier, and Spoelstra’s decision to begin using Lewis again.
BY BARRY JACKSON
