Reggie Miller made his mark as one of the deadliest shooters in NBA history, a fierce competitor who answered the call each time the Indiana Pacers needed a push. Alongside his leadership and tenacity, Uncle Reg was one of the reasons why the Pacers were so dangerous.
With Miller anchoring the Pacers’ offense, the team’s most unforgettable run was in the 1999-2000 season. This was the year Indiana reached the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Larry Bird, the Pacers’ coach at the time, had a formidable roster at his disposal. Still, he knew that if Indiana wanted to win it all, Miller was the guy to rely on.
“It’s playoff time. Reggie’s the man, and knows he’s the man,” then-Pacers coach Larry Bird declared ahead of the 2000 Finals via NYT.
Miller’s pre-Finals determination
Miller, already 34 at the time, was determined to go all out in delivering a title for the Pacers. Since joining the league in 1987, his best finish had been reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
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Despite being a proven scorer, Miller knew he had to take matters into his own hands. After observing how players like Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston created their shots, Reggie committed to a training program in the summer of 1999. He knew he needed to add a new dimension to his game if Indiana was to take it to the next level.
That effort clearly paid off, particularly in the postseason. Miller upped his scoring average from 18.1 points to 24.0 in the playoffs. A significant reason for this was that he attempted more three-pointers, making 58 of 147 attempts for a 39.5% success rate.
Despite his valiant effort in the Finals, the Lakers proved too much to handle. The Pacers had no answer to a dominant Shaquille O’Neal, eventually losing to LA in six games.
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The shocking criticism of his teammates
Before the 2000 Finals began, Miller was brimming with confidence that the Pacers would prevail over the Lakers. Considering they had fought their way to the grandest stage, Reggie expected them to carry that same mentality needed to win it all.
Unfortunately, Miller was disappointed with the effort of his Pacers teammates. He felt they played too soft against the Lakers – a mindset he believed had no place at that stage.
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“Everybody is being too nice out there,” Miller said via the New York Post. “If it’ll help to energize me, I’m prepared to libel and slander the entire Lakers team and the whole city of L.A.,” he added.
This clearly showed how badly Miller wanted the 2000 title. He knew that it might be the last time they would reach that stage, which was why their effort needed to be at an extreme level.
Indeed, the Pacers never returned to the Finals during the Reggie Miller era. Bird left, and the only breakthrough Indiana managed was the 2025 Finals against the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Miller is one of many legendary NBA players who had a great run but never savored winning a championship. It was unfortunate, but that hardly changes the fact that he will be remembered as one of the best sharpshooters the league has ever seen.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 2, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.