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The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland Tennessee (TN) and Bradley County Tennessee (Tn).
Of Bradley County Tn.
JUNE 2005
The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland and Bradley County Tn.
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By Jerry Keys
Since Michael Jordan really retired at the top of his game in 1998, there have been numerous people soaked with the tag "the next MJ". If you were a Bulls' fan you loved him; if you were a non-Bulls' fan; you hated him (although with a touch of respect). The only other player that was as lethal as MJ retired this past week. I am quite sure New York Knick fans know him all too well, Reggie Miller.
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I followed the NBA throughout the 1980's and 1990's but chose to be a Lakers fan in the old days of "you either like the Boston Celtics or the L.A. Lakers. I had no idea who Miller was until the mid 1990's. With baseball thrown into the tank with their 1994 season ending strike and the NFL five months away, what is a young 20-something sports fan to do? Oh, the NBA playoffs are about to begin.
I showed an interest in the NBA since the Lakers had turned things around and thought about watching some hoops. The Indiana Pacers were on NBC and you could not help but notice a guy named Miller.
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Miller got his first playoff experience in 1990 when the soon-to-be back-to-back world champion Detroit Pistons manhandled the Pacers and in 1991 and 1992 by Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics. In the early 1990's, the Knicks were seen
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as the only team that could knock off the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. New York drew first blood on Miller in 1993 and 1994; setting the stage for what was to become an ongoing feud between Miller and Knick-maniac Spike Lee.
In the '95 Eastern Conference semi-finals, Miller threw down basket after basket to rob the Knicks of a series turning victory. The series shifted and the Pacers were finally victorious over New York. Only a Shaq-led Orlando team kept Miller from dancing to the NBA Finals ten years ago and it took seven games at that.
A pair of disappointing years in 1996 and 1997 left the Pacers in a period of transition but Miller was always a constant. The Pacers took MJ and the Bulls to seven games in the 1998 Eastern finals and many times matched MJ toe-to-toe with clutch shots.
After reaching the Eastern finals in 1998 and 1999, the Pacers finally reached the NBA finals in 2000. The only problem was that it came against the "more-than-ready-for-an-NBA-title" LA Lakers. Miller lost his chance at the title in six games although he put on a few spectacular performances in the loss.
2001-03 provided three first round exits as the Pacers slowly turned to youth after their unsuccessful attempts at a title in 1998-00. Like numerous other NBA players of his caliber, he was wooed by other franchises posed for a run
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at the title but he remained loyal to Indiana.
Miller slowly handed over the reigns of team leader to the younger Jermaine O'Neal yet still remained a lethal threat at the three-point line. He appeared to be headed for a rematch with LA in the Finals last year until a pivotal turnover cost them a game three win and a 2-1 lead over Detroit. The Pistons went on to win the series over Indiana and did so again a few days earlier, ending Miller's playoff run of excellence the way it first began 15 years ago, by a Piston victory.
In his farewell game, Miller poured in 27 points in front of his hometown fans. With just over 15 seconds remaining, Miller was pulled out of the game to a standing ovation.
For 18 years he was an Indiana Pacer. For most of those 18 years, he was the Indiana Pacers. He was true to his team and his fans. He also showed me that there was NBA basketball outside of Los Angeles.
On my best day I could probably shoot hoops about as good as Roseanne Barr could sing the National Anthem; but Miller brought to me a different aspect of the game. He was as clutch as MJ in his prime. He carried a team when needed. And one wonders if he had half the supporting cast that MJ had, would Miller Time have gotten a couple more chances at a ring in the earlier years?
Two years ago I touched on a hero of mine, Joe Delaney, and outside of selected Pittsburgh Steeler greats and two others (Walter Payton and Dan Fouts) he was the only player I collected. I have only one NBA card, a Fleer rookie card of Miller.
Miller wants to be remembered as a team player and an unselfish leader. In my eyes, he will be remembered as the consummate leader who may have never gotten the prize he wanted but endeared the hearts of millions in a small Midwestern state.
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