This week there will be a New York Knicks-Indiana Pacers playoff game at Madison Square Garden with Reggie Miller in attendance.
Miller, the villain for home fans at MSG through so many legendary postseason battles in the 1990s, won’t be playing this time. He’ll be on the mic calling Game 2 for TNT Wednesday night.
Miller told Dan Patrick Monday that for the most part, Knicks fans are pretty tame towards him when he works regular season games at the Garden. That will probably change this time around.
“I think it will be a little bit heightened more on Wednesday. Because there’s a little bit more at stake,” Miller said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Miller promised he’ll call things “down the middle,” but said he expects to hear–and even welcomes–derogatory chants from Knicks fans.
“I will be surprised, during the game, if I don’t hear ‘Reggie sucks’ chants. Actually I’ll be a little hurt if I don’t hear ‘Reggie sucks’. I kinda want that!” Miller admitted.
“I will be surprised if I don’t hear ‘Reggie sucks’ chants during the game. Actually I’ll be a little hurt if I don’t hear ‘Reggie sucks’. I kinda want that!”
–@ReggieMillerTNT hopes that #Knicks fans give him a hard time on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/7VoPje5xG7
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) May 6, 2024
From 1993-2000, Miller and the Pacers met the Knicks six times in the playoffs, with each team winning three series.
The last time these two franchises met in the postseason was 2013, when the third-seeded Pacers beat the second-seeded Knicks in six games to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
This year, the Knicks are once again the No. 2 seed, but Indiana is the No. 6 seed. The Pacers knocked off the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.
Game 1 between the Knicks and Pacers will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET Monday on TNT.