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The Charlotte Hornets have a laundry list of players on their injury list, including LaMelo Ball, who they'll be without for the next few weeks. Thankfully for the Hornets, they have another young star who is capable of picking up some of that slack without Ball. Brandon Miller has stepped up big-time both with and without his All-Star-caliber teammate.
Miller has scored at least 20 points in his last seven games, including three 30-point games layered in. Josh Green gave props to his teammate for taking the No. 1 option responsibilities.
“I think he’s done a great job,” Green said. “Brandon is a super talented player. He moves so smooth and he’s able to get his shot off. He’s the type of guy who’s always smiling and ready to go, and I love playing beside him. I think he’s done a great job of being able to step up both offensively and defensively, too. He’s done an amazing job on defense.”
Embodying that two-way star role is the ideal vision for what many expect Miller to develop into, and he has the stamp of approval from one of the better defenders on the team. Miller might not be perfect, but he's learning on the fly, while being effective in the process.
Being at the top of the scouting report has its challenges
With LaMelo Ball and the other Hornets offensive weapons out of the lineup for a while, Brandon Miller is the name opposing teams will circle to key in on. In the matchup with the Atlanta Hawks, Miller gained the attention of Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson, two jumbo wings to shadow him on the perimeter. This strategy has worked to some degree, but Miller is still getting his fair share of points in the process.
On the flip side, these points haven't come cheap. In three of his last four games, Miller shot under 35% from the field. The youngster has been forced to make more difficult decisions with the ball in his hands due to the bevy of injuries, which includes taking more tough shots. He's shooting 40% from the field for the season, which could use quite a bit of improvement.
How Brandon Miller can find easier shots
Things won't get any easier for Brandon Miller. Defenses would rather force Miller into tougher looks or allow his Hornets teammates to score. With Ball in the lineup, Miller plays primarily off the ball, coming off pindowns, elevator screens, and other off-ball sets. It'll be hard to get the defense to commit to other ball handlers, but they're going to have to try and get creative to relieve the pressure off Miller.
That would require guys like Seth Curry and Vasilije Micic to get more involved and find success in pick-and-roll situations, along with guys like Josh Green and Cody Martin to become cutters and corner three-point shooters. It's a barebones group with the injuries, but some of these little things can help Miller find easier ways to score and be effective.
