'Pass first, shoot second' game paying off for Wolves' Miller

The sharpshooter acquired from Memphis is playing a different, more well-rounded game than expected. Summary.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: November 25, 2008 - 7:12 AM

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Timberwolves veteran Mike Miller, the long-range shooter acquired from Memphis last summer presumably to be a second or third scoring option to Al Jefferson, again took considerably fewer shots than teammates Ryan Gomes, Craig Smith or Randy Foye in Sunday's stunning 106-80 victory at Detroit. Despite that, he influenced the outcome nearly as much as Foye did with his statistical breakthrough performance.

Foye's 23 points were a season high and his 14 assists were a career high by four. Miller scored only nine points and took only seven shots -- six fewer than Smith, five fewer than Foye, four fewer than Gomes -- and yet represented the way the Wolves rebounded and moved the ball, to the tune of 32 assists on 44 baskets made.

Miller had seven of those assists and eight rebounds in three quarters before he sat on a night when the Wolves beat the Pistons 45-36 on the backboards and led by 24 points after that third quarter.

Every time you might have been tempted to yell at your television screen for Miller to shoot more, he made an extra pass, and usually the right play, keeping with his season-long determination to defer to his teammates for what he calls the betterment of a team that has won three times in its first 12 games.

Four of Miller's seven assists came on passes to Jefferson, including three in a third quarter when the Wolves outscored Detroit 32-18.

"You know what, he's drawing a lot of attention," Wolves coach Randy Wittman said. "People know what he can do coming off screens. When he can get Al uncontested shots, that gets Al going. You look at his numbers -- eight rebounds, seven assists -- he has been at those pretty consistently."

Miller shrugged after Sunday's game and said, "I was just trying to find ways to help the team win. Any win for us right now is good, but to come into Detroit and win like this here, it makes it a lot easier. We kept playing free and easy, and we played at a level where you can extend a lead rather than worry about holding onto it. It was good to see that."

The Wolves won for the second time in three games after following a season-opening victory with an eight-game losing streak. They will play Phoenix on Wednesday at Target Center searching for that first winning streak.

"We have to find a way to put wins together," Miller said. "We've dug ourselves a hole here to start the season. The only way we're going to get out of it is to put some wins together."

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