By CHRIS PERKINS
FOXSportsFlorida.com Heat writer
Dec. 22, 2010
AmericanAirlines Arena would have erupted if Mike Miller had hit just one of those four 3-point attempts he hoisted up in the second quarter of Monday's 98-96 loss to Dallas. Just one.
Each time the Heat's 6-foot-8 sharpshooter lined his feet up behind the arc, adjusted the ball in his hands and let it go, the sellout crowd held its breath, got ready to explode and then let out a disappointed groan.
"It was like they kinda knew what I was going through," Miller said of the crowd's emotional reaction. "It was uplifting for sure."
Miller, making his season debut after having right thumb surgery in October, ended 0-for-4 from the field in four minutes. He didn't play in the second half.
Miller gets another shot at glory Thursday when the Heat (21-9) visits Phoenix, and then continues a two-game road swing with that high-profile Christmas Day matchup against the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.
There was no doubt the home crowd noticed Miller checking into the game Monday.
"It was like when (center) Alonzo (Mourning) came back and he checked into the game his first time in Miami," guard Dwyane Wade said. "There was a roar to the crowd."
Miller heard it. Everybody did.
"It was special," he said. "Unfortunately the shots didn't fall."
But no one's concerned. Everything is going to take time, including finding Miller's role.
"Mike is going to play a big part in what we're doing, but we'll work him in," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It'll probably be slowly at first."
Spoelstra expects bumps in the road.
"At some point, a week or 10 days from now, we might have to take a quarter of a step backward to take a step forward," he said before the Dallas game.
Spoelstra said it could take as much as a month to six weeks to get Miller fully integrated with the team and vice versa.
"It'll probably take that much time to iron out our rotation again," Spoelstra said.
But overall, everyone expects Miller's addition will be a good thing, and Miller expects his shooting will be better in his next appearance.
"I've just got to step up there and make my shots," Miller said. "I will. It's just a matter of time."
