The New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers have officially rekindled their old rivalry after facing each other these past two postseasons. As the historic rivalry gained traction, Pacers legend Reggie Miller was once quizzed to share his thoughts on the fascinating subject.
It has been more than two decades since Miller last played a playoff game against the Knicks. However, he acknowledged that the epic rivalry they had against New York still gets him fired up to this day.
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“For the Pacers and the Knicks to start a new chapter in this historic rivalry dating back to our ’90s battles, it was cool,” Miller candidly told Sports Illustrated last year.
“At the end of the day, though, I tell people: I was there to do my job until I wasn’t there to do my job. It was all cool, it’s all fun and games,” he added. “The worst thing is I can’t control the outcome like I could when I was a player. As an analyst, you’re there talking X’s and O’s, and really, you don’t care who wins. I didn’t care if Indiana or New York won.”
Knicks fans still recognize Reggie
The Knicks hold a 41-26 winning record over Miller and the Pacers. Even though New York often got the better of them, Uncle Reg is still recognized by the Knicks faithful for the competitive spirit and skills he demonstrated during their intense rivalry back in the ’90s.
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In fact, Miller once revealed in a separate discussion that most Knicks fans are still fond of reminding him about his infamous choke celebration. Reggie doesn’t always find it fun when they do that, but he knows it speaks volumes about the impact he had on New York as their nemesis.
“I get a lot of, ‘I’m from New York …’ That’s how they start it,” Miller said of fan interactions with Knicks fans. “So I know what’s coming next, ‘I’m from New York. I hated you, but I respect you so much.’ I get that probably the most. Second most, ‘Where’s Spike?’ Third, they love to come up and do the choke sign [referring to his iconic choke taunt on the Knicks in the 1995 playoffs]. They think it’s so cool.”
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Fans anticipate the Knicks-Pacers playoff duel once again
So far, the Pacers have eliminated the Knicks in both of their last two playoff battles. That being said, the gritty NY squad is expected to bounce back stronger and finally get over the hump should they wind up facing Indiana once again this upcoming season.
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When that happens, it would be no surprise to see an enthusiastic Miller calling the games from the commentary table once again. That would also mean that Uncle Reg would do his best to remain as unbiased as he could, even if he is definitely going to be rooting for his former team.
All told, it would be interesting to see how the Knicks and the Pacers’ season would play out this year.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.