When ESPN created its 30 for 30 series, they deemed the personal rivalry between Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller and New York Knicks fans worthy enough of an entire documentary, titled Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks.
Miller absolutely owned the Knicks, but that was many moons ago. Now a broadcaster for TNT, Miller was back at Madison Square Garden for Game 2 of the latest playoff duel between Indiana and New York. Needless to say, Knickerbocker fans weren’t kind to him. Even Josh Hart got in on the act, and dropped an F-bomb on live TV to let Miller know what time it was in the figurative sense.
Not winning time for the Pacers, that’s for sure. Between a controversial call at the end of Game 1 and some, ahem, heavy contact allowed against Indiana in Game 2, it sure seemed like the officials were doing all they could to ensure the Knicks would advance to the Conference Finals. Not the first time this postseason New York has gotten some preferential treatment from the refs.
However, the series now goes back to Indianapolis for the next two contests. The Pacers have to feel a little gutted about their near-upset in the series opener, and for blowing a double-digit lead on Wednesday night. Then again, all the pressure shifts back to the Knicks if they can take care of business at home.
That’s why I’m thinking this Hart taunt and the New York crowd giving Miller such profane grief might be a little bit of bad karma. The basketball gods may not smile upon New York as much going forward. What’s more, the Knicks have already lost Mitchell Robinson to an injury, saw OG Anunoby knocked out of Game 2 late with a hamstring issue, and had Jalen Brunson in the locker room nursing a foot injury before coming back to spark their comeback.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has a penchant for running his best players into the f*****g ground and playing them as many minutes as possible until their wheels fall off. New York’s rotation is getting extremely thin. For all the activity and energy Hart provides on both ends of the floor and as an emotional leader, he’s averaging 46.8 minutes a night in the playoffs.
So without Julius Randle and Robinson in the frontcourt, the Knicks don’t have much in the way of size to combat Indiana’s Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam. It’s very possible Anunoby can’t go for at least a couple games, or if he is out there, he won’t be near 100%. That’s kind of a big deal, especially with 20-point scorer Bojan Bogdanovic already sidelined with multiple season-ending injuries.
Again, I love Josh Hart’s mentality on the hardwood. I love how he’s enjoying the moment, and sticking it to Reggie Miller in the way he did had to be so cathartic for everyone associated with the Knicks.
That said, while it’s quite rare for a team to blow a 2-0 series lead in the NBA, I feel like this might be a case of getting too big for one’s britches too soon. If the Knicks end up getting knocked out by the Pacers, at least they have the excuse of so many injuries piling up. Nevertheless, history will remember it harshly as yet another choke job by New York at the hands of the Pacers.
Regardless of who makes it to the Conference Finals, has anyone had an easier path to the NBA Finals than this year’s Boston Celtics. If they can’t get it done this year with such a cakewalk playoff slate, that core of players never will.
Anyway, Reggie really has nothing to lose in this scenario — and he actually has room to talk, unlike current Knicks players and fans. I’m here for all of it. Although the Knicks did get the better of Reggie’s Pacers about as many times as he beat them, he still has the “eight points in nine seconds” game as an eternal trump card.
Check the highlights:
