Mike Miller had seven points and six rebounds in the Miami Heat’s 83-80 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, and he did it while playing with a heavy heart.
As the Miami Herald reported, Miller has been playing for the Heat in the playoffs while thinking about the health of his daughter, who was born last week.
Barry Jackson writes:
He did it despite his ongoing concern about the health of his week-old daughter Jaelyn, who remains in a Broward hospital intensive care unit with an unspecified complication that might require surgery. Miller has been spending much of his time at the hospital and getting very little sleep.
"As important as the playoffs or the Eastern Conference finals are to me, the most important thing right now is her and my wife," he said Wednesday. "This kind of puts my thumb injuries in perspective."
Miller honored his daughter by wearing pink shoelaces the past two games. Heat president Pat Riley told Miller he would pay the fine if the NBA deemed it a uniform violation.
It’s hard to imagine the NBA would actually fine Miller for a uniform violation. What he’s done this week is something even Bulls fans can root for.