“On the road, I always go for 3” – Reggie Miller brags about game-winning trey in Pacers 2001 playoff duel with Sixers

If there is one player who will not shy away from taking the big shot, it would be Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers. The 11th overall pick of the 1987 Draft was well-known for taking over in the clutch, undeterred of attempting shots with the game on the line.

In his career, Miller had countless heroic moments that helped push Indiana to victory. However, one unforgettable moment happened during the first round of the 2001 Eastern Conference playoffs when the Pacers faced the Philadelphia 76ers.

Miller was special

Although Philly was a huge favorite at the time, with Allen Iverson leading the way, such would not faze Miller and the Pacers. In Game 1 of their first-round series, the UCLA product figured prominently in pulling the rug from under A.I. and the Sixers.

With 2.9 seconds left in that game, Reggie was able to connect on a three-pointer, enough to lift the visiting Pacers over the Sixers. It was a big thing for Miller in that contest considering he had missed 16 of his last 20 field goal attempts in that match.

Regardless, it was that trey that mattered most despite his horrible outing. Being the shooter that he is, a shot attempt is bound to hit its mark at some point. Unfortunately for the Sixers, it happened in the closing seconds of their matchup.

“On the road, I always go for 3,” Miller said after helping the Pacers take a 1-0 series lead over Philly via the New York Times . ''I knew it was coming. You knew it was coming. The crowd knew it was coming."

Miller finished the game with 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. Jalen Rose also finished with 17 points for Indiana. For Philly, it was Aaron McKie who topped the scoring parade with 18 points coming off the bench. Iverson also had an atrocious outing at the time, finishing with only 16.

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Iverson knew better

Aside from the fact that the Pacers were the defending Eastern Conference champions, they were a team that could not be taken for granted because of Reg. The 76ers star was well aware of this, admitting that Indiana would be a tough team to beat with the All-Star guard around.

“Any team with Reggie Miller is never out of a game or out of a series,” Iverson said .

Except for Game 2 of that 2001 duel, all games in that Sixers vs. Pacers pairing were close. After dropping the first game, Philly racked up three straight wins to advance to the next round.

Iverson was the big difference in that series. After being limited to just 16 points in Game 1, the top pick of the 1996 Draft went berserk in the next three games. He scored 45, 32, and 33 points respectively, an offensive output that the Pacers failed to match.

A.I. and the Sixers reached the NBA Finals where they would face the Los Angeles Lakers. Iverson tried to carry Philly in that series but it was not enough to offset the duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Philadelphia lost to the Lakers in that final in five games.

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