Mike Miller looking to regain touch

After missing the Heat’s first three games of road trip, Miller played extensively Sunday against the Nets.

The Heat signed Miller this offseason to spread the floor and provide a consistent offensive weapon from three-point range to complement Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Instead, Miller is shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range and 40.1 percent from the field.

“It’s been tough but you go out there and play as hard as you can and, like I said, you can only control what you can control,” Miller said. “I haven’t really had the ability to get in much rhythm all year, but that’s part of it. It’s part of injuries. It’s part of basketball. It’s part of life.

“You give it all you got and at the end of the day you look in the mirror and say, ‘You know what? I did what I was capable of doing win lose or draw’ .”

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Sunday that “there’s plenty of time” for Miller to find the rhythm that helped him shoot nearly 50 percent from three-point range last season with the Wizards, and made him one of the league’s most sought-after free agents of the offseason.

“He has enough games under his belt to understand what we’re trying to do,” Spoelstra said. “And it’s not just about making shots for Mike. He’s a player and a playmaker and can contribute in a lot of different ways outside of just shooting the ball.”

But shooting, of course, is Miller’s most important asset and he understands that. Behind the scenes, Miller is one of the Heat’s most tireless workers. His practice habits have remained constant even though his game has been up and down this season. Now, he is preparing himself for a resurgence in the playoffs.

“I’m always going to be a guy who gets up a lot of shots,” Miller said. “Like I said, all year long, if I miss shots, it’s not because I didn’t put the effort in. So, I’m just going to continue to shoot balls and, other than that, maybe get a little more aggressive to the hoop and get back to playing like I used to play.”

James, who has played extended minutes recently with Miller out, said he doesn’t “care when [Miller] finds” his rhythm, as long as he finds it.

“If he finds it in the playoffs that’s [fine] — he can go 0 for 30 right now and when the playoffs start when he finds his rhythm that’s the best for our team,” James said.

Said Miller: “About as frustrating as it gets, but at the same time it’s part of it and you have to continue to plug away and make the most of the opportunities.”