In the shadow of Victor Wembanyama last season, Brandon Miller signs his best career game in the snatch victory against the Pistons. The accomplice of LaMelo Ball (35 points) signs two personal bests with 38 points and 8 3-point baskets. But the craziest thing is that this is the first time in the history of the franchise that two players finished with 35 points or more! Between them, they added 13 assists, 13 rebounds and 5 steals.
“Of course we would look great on an NBA Jam jersey” laughs Millerwhen we talk to him about Charlotte's legendary duets in the famous video game. “Where is the T-shirt?” Give it to me. This will be a scary duo! I said it, and we are aiming for more victories. » It seems crazy but no other duo had achieved such a performance. Not even Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning, or Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson more recently.
On the eve of his 22nd birthday, Miller burst onto the screen in his ever-so-fluid style. And when Ball came out for six fouls, he acted as a leader to push back the Pistons, who had come back from a 20-point deficit to snatch overtime. He was already the one who defeated the Pistons at the beginning of the month with a last-second shot. “ My teammates encouraged me to be more aggressive,” continues Miller about his end of the match. “LaMelo came out for six fouls, and it was an opportunity to be more aggressive. I think as a competitor and as a teammate, we want to do everything to play 48 minutes and win the game. Honestly, I didn't know that tonight was my career best score. I just played basketball and tried to win in front of a crazy crowd tonight. »
You have to choose your poison…
Alongside him, Ball made incredible moves, whether under the circle or 10 meters away. The Charlotte point guard remains one of the most exciting players in the NBA, but unfortunately, he still has not corrected his big flaw from the start of the season: defense and stupid fouls. As a result, his stints on the bench allowed the Pistons to pick up the score. “It’s just about being smart. I made three stupid mistakes. I need to focus on that.” promises Ball, who took three fouls in three minutes at the end of the first quarter.
One thing is certain, Ball and Miller are getting better and better, and their complementarity is becoming a real problem for defenses, and a big strong point for their training. “Our duo brings a lot to our game because we both have the possibility of playing without the ball. It creates confusion in the defenses because we are two good shooters, and they can only defend on one,” explains Miller, while Ball appreciates that his young teammate is able to take over. “Brandon clearly raised his level of play, and that’s why we won. He was huge in extra time and we need this kind of performance. »
