C.J. Miles Versus the Shot Clock
By Ben Gibson
Quick: Who are some of the best shooters in the NBA when the shot clock winds down? Stephen Curry? Of course. C.J. Miles? Um… Yes?
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As the shot clock makes its way to zero, Miles has proven to be one of the Indiana Pacers’ — and the league’s — best options when the offense has its back against the wall. It may sound surprising, but when you look at the numbers as Sports Illustrated’s Rob Mahoney did, you’ll see that the statistics confirm it.
"This is not a misprint. Of all the players to use a significant number of late-clock possessions, Miles (1.2 points per possession) has been the most effective per data from Synergy Sports. In this, Miles outranks superstars at their own game. He’s a shot-hunter, too; Miles noticeably seeks out the ball as Pacer possessions inch toward the red zone, keen to create for a team that doesn’t have many alternatives."
In fact, Just last game — in the Pacers win over the Pistons — Miles showed the value of staying collected late in the clock.
The Pacers, as usual, took awhile to get into a set and due to a deflection George Hill’s post up started way further from the hoop than expected. Hill did a good job turning an isolation into a threat for the Pistons, but when the defense collapsed on him, he had to kick it out from the paint. Hibbert gets the pass and realizes Miles is the better option to take the shot.
Despite a waning shot clock and a deflected swing from Roy, Miles doesn’t lose his cool. He just snags the errant pass, lines up the shot, and buries a triple that gave the Pacers a 4-point lead and some much-needed breathing room.
C.J. Miles is one of those rare guys who doesn't care/notice if the pass he catches before he shoots is on target. Good team for him.
— 8 Points, 9 Seconds (@8pts9secs) February 5, 2015
It should be noted though that when the shot clock gets down under 7 seconds, almost no one in the league is a sure thing, but Miles is proving to be one of the best options.
Miles shoots 32.7% with 4 to 7 seconds left and 54.5% with 4 seconds or less, per NBA.com. That’s in the Stephen Curry Zone (45.7% and 50%, respectively).
But regardless of the make rate this certainly is not the shot you want to be taking most possessions. You don’t want to get yourselves into that situation, but Miles is one of the better options when you do.
While Miles is an excellent option late in the shot clock, he isn’t as solid as option late in games.
He’s only a 28.6% shooter in 5-point games with under five minutes to to go, per NBA.com. The reason for that is most likely because in the game’s waning moments, not the shot clock’s, opponents know where the ball is going.
With Roy Hibbert and David West needing the ball fed into them, neither are the first option, and for most of the year that left Solomon Hill, Rodney Stuckey, or C.J. Watson as the other choices available. If you were a team going against the Pacers, you knew which bases you had to cover.
But that won’t be as easy for Indiana’s opponents going forward.
Having George Hill back in the lineup gives Indiana more choices of where to go late in the shot clock and in games. Hill having the ball will continue to draw in defenders like it did against Detroit, and Miles will be waiting on the edges for his time to shine.