When Patty Mills joined the Miami Heat a few weeks ago, she had no idea what to anticipate. The seasoned guard was uncertain about his position and the nature of the mid-season changeover.
However, Mills did not play in his debut game with the Heat. As a result of the team’s injury concerns following that first DNP-CD (did not play, coach’s choice), Mills had double-digit minutes in seven straight games going into Friday night’s game at Kaseya Center against the New Orleans Pelicans. In lieu of the injured Duncan Robinson, he started his first game of the season and his third in the previous two seasons on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
The unexpected aspect is how easily and fast I’ve been able to pick up on some things,” Mills remarked prior to Friday’s encounter with the Pelicans. What can you do to positively influence the team after that? If anything, I believe that has been the most unexpected aspect. For the majority of his NBA career, Mills, 35, has been a consistent member of his team’s rotation. His 15th NBA season hasn’t always been like that, though, as he was dismissed by the Atlanta Hawks on February 29 in order to sign with the Heat after receiving 36 DNP-CDs with the team.
