With the game on the line, and your team down 3, there's no one else in the world you'd love to have coming off of a screen a roll than Reggie Miller.
Sorry MJ, Miller takes the cake on this one.
For almost 2 decades, Miller, a former UCLA Bruin, led the NBA's Indiana Pacers to countless postseason appearances, some of which, included some of the game's most thrilling moments. Remember Miller's 6 point swing against the Knicks? And Miller's turnaround 3 point shot over Michael Jordan to force a Game 7 between the Bulls and the Pacers in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals? And an off the glass, halfcourt heave to force overtime in Game 5 of the Pacers' first round series against the eventual Conference Champions, the New Jersey Nets?
For years, Miller thrilled us with his long range shooting exploits. His departure from the NBA in 2003 signaled the walking off into the sunset of one of the NBA's greatest players. He was a class act on and off the hardwood. Personally, I'm glad that he wasn't around during the brawl in the Palace of Auburn Hills between the Pistons and the Ron Artest led Pacers in 2004, because being involved in that would have tainted #31's legacy a little bit.
Other nominees in the initial roundtable lists of the 2012 Naismith Hall of Fame have included such names as Vlade Divac, Don Nelson, George McInnis, and Mark Jackson (not sure how this got in here, to be frank), but Miller is clearly this lot's headliner. He had the flamboyance, skill, and savvy, to get it done each and every night.
Just ask Spike Lee and those poor Knickerbockers.
MC
No comments:
Post a Comment