Memphis Grizzlies: C.J. Miles Shines In Road Loss Against The Atlanta Hawks
By Chris Kern
The Memphis Grizzlies had a rough night against the Atlanta Hawks but C.J. Miles’ big day was a bright spot in a game filled with struggles.
The Memphis Grizzlies couldn’t find any success in their Wednesday night loss against the Atlanta Hawks. They were down big throughout but despite that C.J. Miles was able to have a big performance.
His role with the Toronto Raptors was inconsistent but so far in Memphis, he has found a good role and has been producing. His ability to make shots from anywhere on the floor is something the Grizzlies have been able to use.
The way he comes off of screens and is able to get a shot off quickly is very impressive. That is an area the Grizzlies need to utilize going forward more and more.
Miles isn’t the only newly acquired player that has had a lot of success since coming to Memphis. His teammates from Toronto, Delon Wright, and Jonas Valanciunas have both had some amazing moments in their short time with the team.
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Avery Bradley is another guy who came in a separate deal at the NBA Trade Deadline and has made a big impact at the starting shooting guard spot. He has been a good two-way player alongside Mike Conley who has been playing very good basketball in his own right.
All these players needed was an opportunity for them to prove they can still play at a high level and they have done just that. With the way Miles has played in his time with the Grizzlies, he is showing he can still be a very good player in this league.
In his 40 games this season with the Raptors he averaged just 5.5 points per game in 14 minutes of action but since coming to Memphis his numbers have gone up in a big way. In just 12 games with the Grizzlies, he is averaging 10.1 points in nearly 24 minutes of playing time.
He had shown flashes in his first month with the team but he really put on a show in this game. He finished with 33 points and 3 rebounds on 11-16 shooting, including 8-12 from three-point range. His ability to hit shots wasn’t even enough to keep this game close which just shows how badly this game went.
Miles has an $8.7 million player option for next season and it is expected that he will opt in. It hasn’t been for certain but with how he has fit in with the Grizzlies and him not being able to earn that on the market they would expect him to opt in.
This will be good news for Memphis as they need all the scoring they can get going forward. Sure you need to have a defensive identity as well but you need a better offense to compete in this league and that’s what we’ve seen with the new Grizzlies squad.
The defense has been very good as well for sure which has helped them win games but some big offensive performances out of the new guys have been key.
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The loss isn’t good but it has been a pretty good month for the team. They’re still in a good spot to have a chance to convey the pick and before tonight they had been very good in the month of March. The Memphis Grizzlies have a good core going forward and C.J. Miles will be a part of that, for at least a little while.