"You act like you've been shot out of a cannon" - Reggie Miller admitted to 'act' after being headbutted by John Starks

Reggie Miller might be best known for his proficiency in 3-point shooting in the 1990s. Yet, he was equally notorious for his ability to provoke opponents. When circumstances demanded, the five-time All-Star demonstrated a flair for the dramatic on the basketball court, as evident when New York Knicks guard - John Starks headbutted him during their playoff series in 1993.

Reggie admitted to acting

While Miller's scoring prowess was undeniable, his propensity to provoke often led to contentious situations with opponents. In a best-of-five first-round series where the Knicks held a 2-0 advantage, the Pacers legend, facing elimination in Game 3, dropped a game-high 36 points on 636% shooting from the field. Throughout the game, he persistently antagonized Stark until the latter's composure faltered and headbutted Miller.

The Pacers' guard's reaction was nothing short of theatrical. He wildly flailed his arms to draw the referees' attention, and Starks was ejected from the game. This incident found a modern-day parallel in 2020 when Giannis Antetokounmpo

Opinionating on Wagner's similar reaction, Reggie compared his response to Starks' headbutt years earlier, acknowledging the theatrical nature of such on-court performances.

"I reacted the same way Wagner did," Miller said . "You act like you've been shot out of a cannon. 'Oh, my God. What has happened to me?'... I wasn't necessarily flopping. I was acting."

Starks was intent on sending Miller a message

Though Miller might be satisfied with his 'acting' to get Starks ejected and force a Game 4, the 6'5" shooting guard was determined to send a message to Reggie that he could not disrespect him.

"Reggie was one of those players that he didn't respect you. If he doesn't respect you, he's going to come at you. He going to talk noise," John said . "He's going to do all the dirty little things."

That being said, Reggie might have won the personal and team battle that night; it was Starks and his Knicks who bounced back in Game 4 to register a 109-100 to eliminate Indiana after five players scored points in double digits. On the occasion, Miller's game-high 33 points went in vain.

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