By Marc Carig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Washington Mystics interim coach Tree Rollins knew something was wrong as soon as Coco Miller raised her hand and excused herself from a recent practice. Miller, a backup guard and the longest-tenured member of the team, felt a sharp pain shooting through her right knee.

"It was unbearable," Miller said. "And it didn't go away. I had never felt that before."

Miller has missed the past two games with what trainers are calling tendinitis in the right knee and she's expected to sit out tonight's game against Minnesota. Rollins said it is still unclear when Miller could return.

"She's not stable enough [in the knee] to be running around, not the way she plays," Rollins said. "She's not a stand-still player. We need to rest it."

Miller, a seven-year veteran, has been one of the most durable players on the Mystics' roster since arriving in 2001. In 16 games this season [including two starts], Miller has averaged 3.4 points in 14.9 minutes per game, mostly off the bench.

Mystics head athletic trainer Navin Hettiarachchi said Miller could play if needed, though the team has elected to take a more conservative approach, hoping that the seven-day gap between games during the all-star break will give Miller's knee enough rest.

Miller suffered ligament damage in her right knee in high school and has played through occasional flare-ups since. But she said this is the first time the injury has caused her to miss playing time. She watched practice yesterday while lying on the baseline, a basketball resting under her heavily bandaged knee.

"It's weird sitting here," Miller said. "I want to get back out there so bad. But it's nothing serious, so I'm thankful for that."

Meantime, Rollins said he is stressing the importance of a strong finish to the first half of the season. This is Washington's final game before Sunday's All-Star Game at Verizon Center.

"We've got to stay focused," Rollins said. "We can't go out there thinking about going home [for the break]. We keep emphasizing that in practice. Obviously, we've got to close things out."

Washington has won six of its past 10 games. A win against Minnesota would pull the Mystics to 7-12 and put the team five games under the .500 mark for just the second time this season.

Mystics Note: D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty will proclaim the start of "WNBA All-Star Week" at a halftime ceremony at tonight's game. Fenty will be joined by league president Donna Orender and Mystics president and managing partner Sheila Johnson.