Jordan Miller Deserves More Minutes in the Final Stretch of Clippers Season

The Los Angeles Clippers have 14 regular-season games left before their postseason fate is decided. They desperately need to hold onto the eighth seed in the Western Conference to give themselves a solid chance to clinch a playoff spot. To achieve that, head coach Ty Lue has to ensure Jordan Miller is on the court as much as possible in the next couple of weeks.

Emerging out of nowhere in his third year in the league, Miller has turned himself into a quality role player. After the changes to the roster at the trade deadline, Miller's role grew exponentially. In the 18 games since, Miller is averaging 10.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 23.9 minutes per game. He matched his career-high 22 points in Monday's loss to the Spurs, highlighting all the different ways he can contribute to this team.

Jordan Miller Continues to Shine for Clippers

The reason Miller is near indispensable for this team is that he is one of the few two-way players on the roster. The 26-year-old can guard multiple positions on one end of the floor and make plays for himself and his teammates offensively. He is a smart player who plays at his own pace and consistently makes the right decisions.

The most impressive part of Miller's game is his scoring ability inside the arc. The 6'5 guard is taking 44% of his shots at the rim, one of the highest marks for any perimeter player. He is shooting 71% on these attempts, which is in the 88th percentile in his position, per Cleaning the Glass. Over half of his two-point shots are self-created, meaning that he is able to create good looks for himself. As a result, Miller is the most efficient perimeter player on the Clippers with an impressive 62.8% True Shooting for the season.

Miller still has obvious weaknesses to his game. His outside shot needs to improve. He is currently not the best fit as an off-ball player due to his inconsistent shot. This makes it difficult for him to share the floor with Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard. On bench units, however, Miller deserves a large role. Compared to Bennedict Mathurin, for example, Miller is a more efficient scorer and a better passer. His usage rate, which has been at 16.5% since the All-Star break, has to increase in the final stretch of the season. It's up to Ty Lue and the coaching staff to do that.

Mathurin is out for at least the next three games. Leonard is dealing with an ankle sprain and his status is TBD for LA's three-game road trip. This presents an opportunity for Miller to showcase what he can do offensively and earn more playing time. What he does with that opportunity will determine his role for the Clippers once everyone is healthy.