Legends profile: Reggie Miller

Reggie Miller’s legendary status was largely built during his playoff games against the Knicks in the 1990s.

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Reggie Miller, a dynamic and high-scoring shooting guard, was one of the best shooters in any era. With a tally of 2,560 successful 3-pointers, he concluded his career as the NBA’s top long-distance shooter. Miller scored a total of 25,279 points, placing him 12th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list at the end of his career.

Despite his retirement, he has been overtaken by Ray Allen and Stephen Curry as the all-time 3-point leader in the NBA and has dropped a few places on the all-time scoring list. Nevertheless, his legacy remains monumental.

Miller was notorious for his stunning, gunslinger-style clutch shots, earning him both admiration and loathing from his opponents. His remarkable performance towards the end of games was famously dubbed “Miller Time”.

The former UCLA Bruin, standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 190 pounds, was chosen as the 11th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers in the 1987 Draft. This slender figure spent his whole 18-year career with the Pacers, earning his status as a legendary figure in the history of the Hoosier state.

He was ranked fourth nationally in scoring as a junior at UCLA, averaging 25.9 points per game, and then averaged 22.3 points per game as a senior. When he was drafted, he was second on the school’s all-time scoring list, trailing only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. However, the slender shooter was not as popular with home state fans, who preferred Indiana University’s All-American guard Steve Alford.

Nonetheless, with the exception of John Stockton and Karl Malone from the Utah Jazz, Miller played more games with the same team than any other player in NBA history. He was instrumental in guiding the Pacers from obscurity to The Finals and numerous playoff adventures. A significant amount of his playoff drama was centered around his fiercest adversary, the New York Knicks, and unfolded on one of the NBA’s most prominent platforms, Madison Square Garden.

Miller hailed from a family of athletes. His elder brother, Darrell, had a five-season stint as a catcher/outfielder with the Los Angeles Angels. His sister, Cheryl, was a basketball sensation at USC and is regarded as one of the finest female players to ever grace the court. Nonetheless, Miller’s initiation into a professional athletic career was marked by ominous signs.

He was born with a hip deformity that resulted in severely splayed feet, which required him to wear leg braces until the age of four in an attempt to correct the birth defect. Medical professionals were unsure if he would ever be able to walk without assistance. At age five, the braces were removed and Miller wasted no time trying to match the athleticism of his siblings.

Once he joined the NBA, Miller swiftly made his mark in the record books. He shattered an eight-year record previously held by Larry Bird by scoring 61 3-pointers in the 1987-88 season, the highest by any rookie in NBA history. This record was later eclipsed by Dennis Scott who scored 125 3-pointers in the 1990-91 season.

In his debut season, Miller had an average of 10.0 points per game, with a .488 field shooting average and a .355 3-point range shooting average. Despite starting only one game and acting as a backup to veteran John Long, he was the sole Pacer to play in the season’s entire 82 games.

Miller’s scoring average increased to 16.0 ppg in his second season, leading Indiana with 93 steals. However, his true breakthrough came in the 1989-90 season.

For the second consecutive season, Miller’s scoring average skyrocketed, reaching a career-high 24.6 points per game, placing him eighth in the NBA. His constant movement and skill in navigating around multiple picks and screens made defending him a challenging task, likened to an obstacle course.

He was the first Pacer to participate in the NBA All-Star Game since Don Buse and Billy Knight did in 1977. Additionally, he came second to Rony Seikaly of the Miami Heat for the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

In 1990, Indiana made it to the playoffs for the first time during Miller’s career, but their stint was short. The Pacers were swept in a first-round series by the reigning champion Detroit Pistons, even with Miller’s impressive 20.7 points per game on .571 field goal shooting.

Larry Brown became the coach of Indiana in 1993-94. Although Miller’s scoring average dropped to 19.9 ppg, he still ranked second in the league for free-throw percentage and third for 3-point field-goal percentage. He also set a record as the team’s highest scorer of all time, and became only the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 800 3-pointers in his career.

That year, the Pacers claimed victory in 47 games and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals. In the playoffs, Miller’s average score was 23.2 points per game. However, his performance in Game 5 of the East finals against the New York Knicks could be considered his breakout moment on the national stage. This series solidified the notion that the Pacers always seemed to stand a chance of winning whenever Miller was on the court.

In the game, Miller scored a whopping 25 points in the fourth quarter alone, sinking every one of his five 3-point attempts, propelling Indiana to a 93-86 comeback win at Madison Square Garden. During this scoring onslaught, Miller and famous Knicks supporter, filmmaker Spike Lee, traded verbal jabs at the courtside. Miller’s performance not only stunned the home fans but also cemented the complex love-hate relationship between him and the Garden’s die-hard fans.

The Knicks emerged victorious in the subsequent two matches, securing the 1994 series. Despite Miller scoring 25 points in Game 7, his potential match-winning 3-pointer from the right elbow went amiss in the final moments, resulting in a 94-90 defeat.

Miller’s performance in Game 5 is considered one of the most outstanding individual efforts in playoff history, leading him to stardom. That same summer, he served as a tri-captain for the U.S. National team, which won a gold medal at the 1994 World Championship of Basketball. Notably, Miller was the team’s top scorer with an average of 17.1 points per game.

The 1994-95 season mirrored the previous one for Miller and the Pacers in terms of its conclusion, but Miller achieved much along the way. He was elected by fans to start the 1995 All-Star Game and was also chosen for the All-NBA Third Team. The Pacers marked a team record with 50 victories and secured their initial division title since transitioning to the NBA from their ABA championship-winning days.

In the opening round of the playoffs, Miller torched the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 31.7 points per game. In Game 2, he made a stunning 39-point effort, which included sinking 7 three-pointers.

His moment of defining clutch performance might have occurred during the first game of the conference semifinals in New York. The Pacers were trailing by six points with only 16.9 seconds left when Miller scored a 3-pointer. He then intercepted the inbound pass and dribbled behind the 3-point line, sinking another one to even the score. Following two missed free throws by the Knicks, Miller successfully made two, securing the final victory margin of 107-105.

Miller managed to score eight points in just 8.9 seconds, leaving both the crowd and the entire basketball community in shock.

Ewing, a longstanding adversary, would later express, “He’s the type of person that you’d want to smack when competing against him. But if you’re on the same team, you’d support him fully. He’s someone you highly respect. He’d always give his best and do whatever it took to help his team win… We’ve had our fair share of conflicts and battles. I hold him in the highest regard.”

The flurry echoed his 25-point fourth-quarter eruption in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals. However, this time, despite two consecutive losses, the Pacers triumphed over the Knicks in the series. In Game 7 at MSG, Miller ensured the Knicks’ defeat by scoring 29 points.

In the subsequent round facing the Orlando Magic, led by Shaquille O’Neal, Miller demonstrated an explosive performance in the initial six games. He started with 17 points in the first period of Game 1, finishing the game with 26 points. Then he racked up 37 points in Game 2. In Game 6, he amassed 28 points in the first half, leading to a total of 36 points for the night. However, in Game 7, his scoring was restrained and the Pacers were defeated, 101-85. Miller ended the playoffs with an impressive average of 25.5 points per game.

After the 1994-95 season, Miller was selected for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team, which subsequently won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Miller and the Pacers found the next two seasons disappointing. In the 1995-96 season, the team managed to win 52 games for the second year in a row. Yet, the Pacers’ success was heavily reliant on Miller. His ability to contribute was severely affected due to an eye socket fracture he suffered in a collision on April 13. Unfortunately, Miller wasn’t able to recover quickly enough to help the team through a first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks and Pacers evenly divided the first four games without Miller in the lineup. He made a thrilling comeback in Game 5 at Market Square Arena in front of the home audience. Despite his 29-point contribution, the Hawks clinched a slim two-point triumph, concluding Indiana’s season.

In the following season, the Pacers’ performance fell to 39-43 and Coach Larry Brown resigned at the end of the season.

Indiana legend and native son Larry Bird joined the Pacers as the new coach just before the 1997-98 campaign, adding another renowned figure to the fold. He took over a team of veterans including Miller, Rik Smits, Dale Davis, and point guard Mark Jackson, who returned to the team mid-season after being traded to Denver the previous year. The team was further strengthened by the addition of Chris Mullin, a seasoned sharp-shooter.

Following their playoff victories over the Cavaliers and Knicks, Indiana moved on to a highly anticipated confrontation with the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, in the 1998 Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers approached the series with confidence, having previously split the four regular season games with the two-time defending champions. Despite losing two closely fought games in Chicago, the Pacers made the Memorial Day Weekend unforgettable with two exhilarating home victories.

Despite a sprained ankle, Miller, known for his playoff heroics that have shaped his impressive career, scored 13 out of his 28 points in the last four and a half minutes, leading to a 107-105 victory in Game 3.

Despite his well-established reputation as a clutch performer, he was equally notorious for his tactic of grabbing and flopping, which often resulted in either getting the referee’s favorable whistle or freeing him to take his shot. His distinctive use of hands and arms played a crucial role in Game 4. He was under the tight defense of Jordan, but managed to knock Jordan off balance with his hands, break free, and astonishingly hit a 3-pointer with just 2.7 seconds left. This gave the Pacers a narrow 96-94 victory.

The next two games were dominated by the home teams, leading to a Game 7 in Chicago. The Pacers were ahead 72-69 in a closely contested game with less than nine minutes left to play. The Bulls, who were destined to claim their third consecutive NBA title, tightened their defense and dominated the rebounds. Scottie Pippen scored crucial points towards the end of the game, sealing an 88-83 victory and ending the Pacers’ season.

In the 1998-99 season, the NBA experienced a labor lockout, resulting in only 50 games being played. The Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat both had the best record in the Eastern Conference, each with 33 wins and 17 losses. Individually, Miller finished the season leading the NBA in all-time career 3-pointers made (1,702) and attempted (4,225).

For the fourth time in six years, the team made it to the Eastern Conference finals. However, their journey to the NBA Finals was once again halted in a challenging six-game series by the unexpectedly strong eighth-seed New York Knicks.

At last, in the subsequent season, the Pacers made it to The Finals.

Miller and the Pacers encountered a powerful Lakers team, spearheaded by O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. The Pacers lost the first two away games. However, they managed to secure a victory in Game 3, which was the franchise’s first NBA Finals home game. They almost clinched Game 4 but lost 120-118 in overtime.

Despite the Pacers’ 120-87 triumph over the Lakers in Game 5, Los Angeles secured the series in Game 6 with a 116-111 victory in L.A. Throughout the series, Miller averaged a score of 24.3 points per game.

During Miller’s final five years with the Pacers, the club underwent numerous transitions. However, it was evident that he continued to be the team’s leader.

After three highly successful seasons, Bird left the bench, only to be succeeded by another Indiana icon — former IU and NBA superstar, Isiah Thomas.

As Rose emerged as a prominent offensive option in 2000-01, Miller’s offensive performance declined. Further, the Pacers experienced difficulties due to numerous team changes and less experience. This led to a predictable struggle, resulting in a 41-41 finish, which was sufficient to secure the No. 8 seed in the East.

Once again, Miller dominated the Pacers’ postseason. He astonished everyone with a classic 3-pointer, with only 2.9 seconds remaining, securing a 79-78 victory in Game 1 in Philadelphia. Following that, Miller maintained an average of 36.0 points per game in the subsequent three games. However, despite his efforts, the Sixers bounced back to clinch the series in four games.

In the 2001-02 season, Miler topped the NBA in free throw accuracy (91.1) for the fourth time in his career, marking the second consecutive season and the third time in the last four seasons. Indiana slightly improved with a 42-40 record and once again secured a No. 8 seed.

Nonetheless, they pushed the top-seeded New Jersey Nets to the edge. In the crucial Game 5 of the first-round series, Miller managed to sink a 40-foot 3-pointer just as time ran out, pushing the game into overtime. Despite this, the Nets recovered and secured a 120-109 victory in double overtime to clinch the series.

The Pacers, always adapting, quickly reformed themselves into a contender. After a two-year hiatus, Bird returned to the franchise, though now as team president. Not long after, Thomas was succeeded by Rick Carlisle, who was Bird’s former assistant coach. Carlisle had previously been let go in Detroit, despite enjoying two successful seasons.

The Pacers had an NBA-best finish of 61-21 in the 2003-04 season, which set a franchise record for wins. However, they were defeated by the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals, which lasted six games.

Miller commenced his last campaign on the injury list due to a broken bone in his left hand during the preseason. The Pacers’ lineup was further ravaged by a heated brawl with the Pistons, which led to numerous and extended player suspensions. Miller, once again, emerged as a crucial player for the now-disrupted team and made a forceful comeback.

In the absence of O’Neal, the team’s top scorer, he managed to score a minimum of 30 points in six games and averaged nearly 20 points per game.

In the early days of April, Miller participated in his final game at the Garden, a place that had been the backdrop for much of his stellar career. Despite the anti-climactic nature of the game, it was not devoid of emotion. The Knicks had lost their chance at the playoffs and many of the well-known New York opponents had moved on, but the fans were still there, recalling past hurts.

He faced boos at the start, but as the game drew to a close – one where he only scored 13 points – the crowd began to chant “Reg-gie, Reg-gie” and gave him a standing ovation. Miller concluded the event by embracing Lee, who personified the Knicks’ anti-Miller sentiment.

The Pacers made a late regular season rally, not only making the playoffs but doing so as the sixth seed. They then caused an upset by defeating the Atlantic Division champions, Boston, in seven games in the first round. Despite being at a disadvantage, the Pacers lost to the reigning champion Pistons 4-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals, even though Miller delivered an impressive 27-point performance in his last game.

As the game was drawing to a close, Miller exited the court for the final time, amid prolonged applause from his local fans. Brown, who was coaching the Pistons at the time, kindly called a timeout. This allowed the entire Pistons team to join the ongoing standing ovation from the crowd in honor of Miller and his remarkable career.

After his remarkable career, Miller assumed the position of an NBA analyst for TNT prior to the 2005-06 season. His role was divided between commentating games and making guest analyst appearances on TNT’s Emmy award-winning show, “Inside the NBA.”

Even with all his achievements on the court, Miller did not make it as a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011, his first eligible year. However, just a year later, he joined the ranks of the all-time legends in Springfield, Mass., where he rightfully belonged.