Happy 50th, Reggie: 5 most memorable moments of 'Miller Time'
You can't mention the greatest clutch shooters in NBA history without placing Indiana Pacers icon Reggie Miller right near the top of the pack.
Ranking second on the all-time 3-pointers made list, the Basketball Hall of Famer made a career out of lighting up opponents from all parts of the floor with a silky smooth shooting stroke that very few teams could combat. He was never able to snag that elusive championship, but that shouldn't tarnish what was still a legendary run for the current TNA commentator.
Miller turned 50 years old Monday, which seems like a fitting time to go back in the vault and recognize some of the most memorable moments of his 18-year career.
Reggie Drops 57 Against Charlotte
It was Nov. 28, 1992 when Miller dominated the Charlotte Hornets to the tune of a career-high 57 points, hitting 16-of-29 from the field and 21-of-23 from the charity stripe.
He also dished out eight dimes, which is pretty remarkable considering how dominant he was shooting the rock that evening.
Would anyone have blamed him if he hadn't passed the ball at all?
Reggie Bests "His Airness"
The wars between Miller and Michael Jordan were fairly one-sided, with the Chicago Bulls emerging victorious more often than not.
Miller earned bragging rights once in a while, though, especially during Game 4 of the 1998 Eastern Conference Final, hitting a game-winning 3-pointer over his adversary.
Did Miller push off on Jordan? Absolutely. The evidence is clear. Whatever gets the job done, right?
"The Choke"
Take that, Spike Lee.
"The Knick Killer" got a sick thrill out of making mincemeat of the New York Knicks with his 25-point fourth quarter performance in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, which is perhaps his finest showing ever under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.
That is, until.....
Eight Points in Nine Seconds
Unfathomable. Incomprehensible. Bewildering.
Miller's eight points in nine seconds against his rival Knicks one year later was one of the most exceptional end-of-game sequences the basketball world has ever experienced.
Nearly 19,000 spectators in the Big Apple found their jaws drop to the floor as Miller erased a six-point lead with 18.7 seconds left by himself.
A Final Farewell
Tears were flowing at Conseco Fieldhouse when Miller called it a career following an 88-79 loss to the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs.
Pistons head coach Larry Brown - who worked with Miller from 1993 to 1997 - called a timeout during the game's last moments so his former player could bask in a longer ovation as he walked off the floor.
"Miller Time" was officially over.