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Despite playing for the small-market Indiana Pacers, Reggie Miller was not one to shy away from the big stage and bright lights of Madison Square Garden. Down six points in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals with less than 20 seconds left, Miller pulled off the impossible, scoring 8 points in 9 seconds to flip the game 180 degrees and give the Pacers the win.
Pacers coach Larry Brown drew up an inbounds play, and Miller received a chest pass with his back to the basket. He then turned around, rose, and rifled a three-pointer through the net to cut the deficit to three.
Then Miller stole the Knicks’ inbounds pass and hit nearly the same shot. Miller retreated to the three-point line, turned around on a dime, and made a three-pointer to tie the game.
The Knicks’ John Starks, a 75 percent free throw shooter that season, missed two free throws the next possession. Center Patrick Ewing got the rebound but missed the put-back, and nobody other than Miller came down with the final rebound.
The Knicks committed a foul, and Miller handily made both free throws, cementing the Pacers’ 107-105 victory. In the postgame interview, Miller gave the famous line: “John Starks choked.”
