The decades-long rivalry between the Knicks and Pacers returns in full force in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, as the Madison Square Garden crowd made clear on Wednesday.
There is no love lost between New York and Indiana, dating back to six postseason meetings in eight years, between 1993 and 2000.
TNT made sure NBA fans remembered that when the network put former Pacers All-Star and known Madison Square Garden foe Reggie Miller on the call for Game 2.
Before the game began, Miller and Knicks superfan Spike Lee shared a moment to remember their iconic exchange from the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals.
Spike brought two framed newspapers, titled “Thank you very much, Spike” and “Spiked!” — from the day after Miller led Indiana on a double-digit fourth-quarter comeback in Game 5 and made a choking sign to New York’s No. 1 fan.
Spike ?Reggie
Gathered in the garden pic.twitter.com/L23QHZ3LDU
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 9, 2024
That was the only good reception Miller would get for the rest of the night.
Knicks fans chant ‘F— you Reggie’ during Game 2 victory
The Madison Square Garden crowd cheered Miller for most of the game, saving energy to catalyze the Knicks to a 2-0 series lead over the Pacers.
Jalen Brunson recovered from a foot injury in the second quarter and returned to action, scoring 29 points in three quarters to lead New York’s attack. OG Anunoby left the game with a hamstring injury, but came away with a career-high 28 points in the playoffs.
Donte DiVincenzo exploded for 28 points and six 3-pointers, while Josh Hart played a full 48 minutes and scored 19 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists.
The Pacers forced the Knicks to fight hard until the buzzer, but when New York iced the 130-121 victory, the crowd let loose.
“Fuck you, Reggie! Fuck you, Reggie!” chanted the MSG faithful, with the chorus sounding so loud you could hear it through your television screen.
“Fuck you, Reggie” chants break out at MSG ? pic.twitter.com/Inr4MYzeQ2
– New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 9, 2024
In case Miller didn’t hear it, Knicks forward Hart approached the TNT analyst while his teammate was shooting free throws to jokingly tell Miller what the New York fans had to say.
Josh Hart to Reggie Miller: “I don’t know if you heard it, but I think they’re saying, ‘Fuck you.'” pic.twitter.com/Cl4c9mWyNP
– Horrible advertisement (@awfulannunciando) May 9, 2024
Three decades later, Knicks fans had to remind Miller that they will never forget what happened in those 1990s playoff series.
