http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/miller_031118.html
Reggie's Retro Classic
Shows he’s Still Potent
By John Clayton
Indianapolis, Nov. 18, 2003
After 16 NBA seasons, nearly 24,000 points and more 3-pointers than
anyone in the game, Reggie Miller doesn’t need a throwback uniform
to go retro.
At least he didn’t Saturday night, when this generation of New York
Knicks players were witness to Miller’s legend at Madison Square
Garden, the backdrop to some of the greatest moments in his Hall-of-Fame
career, not to mention Pacers history.
Averaging 8.9 points heading into Saturday night’s matchup with the
Knicks, Miller scored 31 points on 10 of 12 shooting to propel the
Pacers past their old rivals, 95-94. His season high entering the game
had been 15; he had 18 in the first half alone. He hit six 3-pointers
on seven attempts, including one, appropriately enough, falling into
the lap of film director Spike Lee, a die-hard Knicks fan and one of
Miller's long-time protagonists.
“I thought I was watching ESPN Classic,” said coach Rick Carlisle.
It was an easy mistake to make.
It might have been 1994, when Miller scored 39 points against the Knicks
in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, including 25 in the fourth
quarter of a 93-86 Pacers victory.
It might have been 1995, when Miller scored 8 points in 8.9 seconds to
deliver a 107-105 victory in Game 1 of the conference semifinals. Or
1998, when a second-round series turned on Miller's 3-pointer from just
in front of Lee’s courtside seat. Or maybe 1999, when Miller's 34-point
performance helped win Game 6 and sent the Pacers into the NBA Finals
for the first time.
“When he’s old and in a wheelchair, they’re going to roll him out
onto the Garden court and he’s still going to hit threes,” Lee told
the New York Times.
Miller has spent the past couple of seasons as a supporting player as
forward Jermaine O’Neal emerged as an All-Star. At age 38 and coming
off ankle surgery, Miller’s minutes and shot attempts have been fewer.
Or so it was until Miller walked into Madison Square Garden for the
first time this season.
R. Miller
“I’m sure there are other games where I’ve felt better, but I guess
the stars and the moons all aligned in one section and Saturday was my
night,” he said.
The fact that those stars aligned over Manhattan for one more magical
night was serendipitous at least.
“There is something about that building,” said Austin Croshere.
“When you battle like Reggie has, even though the (Knicks) might not
be the same, you can’t help but get those kind of feelings.”
Croshere said he could see Miller’s confidence growing and, just as
importantly, palpably feel the team’s confidence growing in him.
“I just want to be a threat out there. I want them to respect the
shooting guard position on this team,” Miller said. “I’m here for
a specific role and that’s to create space and outside opportunities.
When Jermaine and Al and those guys are doubled down low, we have to
make them pay. That’s sort of been my role the last two years and we
just want to keep teams honest.”
While most of the team’s offense runs through O’Neal on the low post
and Ron Artest has become a legitimate second option in the starting
lineup, Miller’s game on Saturday served as a reminder to Carlisle –
and teams around the league - that Miller can still be a valuable piece
of the Pacers’ puzzle this season.
Carlisle
“I’m going to make a more conscious effort to get him shots early if
we can. If he isn’t open for shots, that means we’ve got a good
situation in the post, probably, so that’s good. I’m really pleased
that Reggie had that kind of a breakout game,” said Carlisle. “It's
great for the team and it’s obviously great for him. We couldn’t have
won without him.”
For Miller, it was one more trip into the New York spotlight, but one
he took with a new group of Pacers who no longer have to go to the
archives to understand what all the fuss is about when Miller reaches
the Garden.
But Miller was quick to put the latest chapter of his career at the
Garden back into the context of an early-season victory for the Pacers.
“That’s what a team is all about – other guys pick up the pieces
when another guy is struggling. Jermaine was struggling with his shot
and it was just deemed to be my night,” he said.
And the fact that it was deemed to be Miller’s night once more at
Madison Square Garden?
“Go figure,” he said. “Go figure.”
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