This is the Andre Miller Portland hoped they would get.

The one who went for 21 points against Minnesota on Sunday.

The one who gets everyone involved, knows when to look for his shot, and muscles other point guards down on the block.

The one who starts.

It sure beats the Miller who confessed he wouldn’t have come to the Blazers this past offseason had he known he’d be coming off the bench, which he's done until his two recent starts. Apparently in this league, playing time doesn’t cure all.

Starting does.

Just ask the Memphis Grizzlies and Allen Iverson. Then again, don’t.

When Portland takes on Memphis tonight – and their Western Conference worst 1-6 record – they’ll do so with Iverson at home in Atlanta tending to “personal matters”. Conversely enough, growing frustration over his reserve role is apparently the meaning of “personal matters” in this case.

"We still have the same goals and aspirations," Memphis head coach Lionel Hollins said. "Allen Iverson has to do what's best for him and his family. If it doesn't involve playing with the Grizzlies, then it doesn't. If it does then we'll keep trying to figure it out and get it going in the right direction.”

Which brings us back to Andre Miller.

Had Nate McMillan not inserted Miller into the starting lineup against San Antonio and Minnesota (resulting in two wins) it’s safe to assume Andre wouldn’t have pulled an Iverson. It wouldn’t have come to that point regardless of the media microscope Miller – who was traded for Allen back in December 2006 from Denver to Philadelphia -  found himself under since stepping into the Blazers locker room or the fact that McMillan and Miller never had a one-on-one discussion the past couple weeks about Miller not starting.

Hollins and Iverson were in the same situation. Iverson didn’t start. They didn’t talk. So Iverson left.

That wound isn’t going to heal.

But that’s not Miller. Andre’s done what he’s done his whole career: he’s handled his business, knowing he’s not bigger than the game regardless of how long the Miller – Steve Blake – Brandon Roy experiment lasts.

That’s all the Blazers can ask for.

photo: yahoo

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