Pacers free-agent pickup C.J. Miles hasn’t completed a full practice due to a calf strain suffered in September, but there’s no reason to be worried.
“It’s just a little strain,” he said Wednesday, “nothing crazy. I’m pretty much healed. I’m doing everything just monitoring the contact a little bit just because of the wear and tear on it.
“It doesn’t make sense for me to be out with a strain for three weeks now when I could take a couple days just two get it all the way back, finish the month and be ready for the first game of the season. But I’m well past sitting out. Just monitoring it, that’s all.”
Miles has been in town since the beginning of September and said the injury occurred while playing pickup ball at the facility.
Miles says he has participated in practice for the majority of the time, but he sits out towards the very end, which coincidentally is when the media is allowed to watch (typically the final 15 minutes).
“I do everything throughout the whole practice until like just a little bit of the contact just towards the end,” he explained. “Since the first practices are long, they don’t want me go through the wear and tear of the whole practice.”
“The rule with him is if he starts feeling it getting tight, we don’t want to push through that and force another strain,” head coach Frank Vogel added.
[Agness’ Observations: Pacers Training Camp 2014]
The 27-year-old sharpshooter has dealt with calf strains before, including one last season while with Cleveland.
“I know the drill,” he said with a smile. “I know that it usually fades away.”
While on the floor, Miles says he has been playing with the first team, which also includes fellow newcomer Rodney Stuckey. It’s highly likely that Stuckey and Miles will fill out the starting lineup, although the regular season is still four weeks away.
Miles shot 43.5 percent last season in Cleveland, and averaged 9.9 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
After practice on Wednesday, Miles got off rounds of 3-point shots with Solomon Hill (as seen below).
[…] Pacers forward C.J. Miles has been unable to complete a full practice at the start of training camp due to a calf strain, according to VigilantSports.com. However, Miles is not worried about the […]
[…] Pacers forward C.J. Miles has been unable to complete a full practice at the start of training camp due to a calf strain, according to VigilantSports.com. However, Miles is not worried about the […]