To protect their win streak and head back to the Intuit Dome glowing with confidence, the LA Clippers need a shield that will save them on both sides of the ball while Kawhi Leonard is absent. They have a ‘Battle of L.A.’ on Thursday, and for tonight, and essentially however long the two-time champion is out with an injured knee, the hovering force is Jordan Miller, who should be adjusted into the starting lineup.
The mid-season goal Miller has in mind is to work his way up towards a standard contract. It is on Lawrence Frank to make the delivery by clearing a roster spot, yet the former second-round draft pick is doing all he can to prove that his game is solar systems ahead of a two-way deal.
However, Tyronn Lue can chip in and reward Miller by accomplishing another goal he may or may not have had in mind by swapping out Kobe Sanders.
The starting lineup is where Jordan Miller belongs
On January 1st, Jordan Miller was out of the rotation. By the 20th, less than three weeks later, he solidified a permanent role on the LA Clippers’ 2025-26 roster and deserves to be a starter while Kawhi Leonard is recovering. It has been a small sample size, yet Miller has confirmed in various ways that the last six games are not a fluke-like run that will fade away.
In fact, over the last six games in which the Clippers have gone undefeated, Miller has posted 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, shooting 56.3% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc.
He has also notched the team-high +/- twice, which were in the last two games over the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards.
Moreover, the confirmation factor in his case to start over Kobe Sanders is overall composure. Sanders allows the tension of multiple defenders charging at him for the ball lead him out of control. Still, with Miller, it is, “let me navigate the open man and decide what pass to make before the defense has the opportunity to force a turnover.”
Miller was also poised in the clutch versus the Raptors and scored the only non-James Harden bucket in overtime, which was a three-pointer.
That said, Miller has been Tyronn Lue’s savior as of late and can continue to be moving forward if his role is expanded into a career-first start tonight versus the Chicago Bulls.