Miller's Real Struggle

**Ace** · 05-25-2011

The true struggle Miller is coping with didn't take place in AmericanAirlines Arena -- even as he rose to the occasion in the most important game of his first season with the Heat, a 101-93 overtime victory that moved Miami one step closer to the NBA Finals.

Basketball, despite all the success and relief that came Miller's way on Tuesday night, was simply a diversion -- a much-needed one, considering what she's going through.

That's right, she.

“She's still in ICU,” Miller said as he dressed quickly after speaking to reporters, then headed toward a side door to leave the arena. “She had some complications. But it's going to be all right. She's a fighter. She's the most important thing I'm thinking about right now.”

She is Miller's week-old daughter, Jaelyn, who has been in an intensive care unit fighting an undisclosed illness that resulted from complications with his wife's delivery last Thursday. Miller said on Tuesday his wife, Jennifer, is doing fine. The couple, who also have two young sons, remains in relatively good spirits even as they wait to see if Jaelyn might need a surgical procedure.

Not all of Miller's teammates even know what he is going through these days as he hustles back and forth from practices and games to a South Florida hospital. He wants to do his job and be there for his team at the most crucial point of their playoff push.

At the same time, Miller's closest teammates know it's far more important that he spends as much time as he can with his family as they rely on their faith, bond and love to get them through a challenging ordeal. Miller admitted before Tuesday's game that he's had “not a lick” of sleep essentially since he rushed to the hospital immediately after the Heat arrived back in Miami from their Game 2 victory in Chicago early Thursday morning.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoopmiam...ms-a-dual-role