NBA legend Reggie Miller has delivered his say on the rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls in the late 90s.
Advertisement
Miller rivalled Michael Jordan at the top, who returned for his second stint with the Bulls after announcing his first retirement in 1993. However, Miller feels that the Pacers team was close to ending the dominance of Jordan and his team.
Speaking on Netflix’s docuseries Last Dance in 2020, he said: “We all looked at the Bulls as the standard model of success. They were considered the best at that time. But we felt, and I feel to this day, we were the better team. The whole thing is, there was whispers that this was going to be Mike’s last year. So I think a perfect storm was brewing. In my mind, I was thinking … ‘this is it. You’re going to retire Michael Jordan.”
Jordan won the last of his six NBA Championships in 1998, with the Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, Reggie Miller only reached the NBA Finals in 2000.
Did Reggie Miller Deserve Better?
Miller is a five-time NBA All-Star and 1994 FIBA champion. He scored 25,279 points in his career, with 2,560 three-pointers made. Despite becoming one of the best players in the NBA, Miller missed out on an elusive Championship in the NBA.
However, many believe that the Pacers and Miller lacked the firepower to claim a title. This was seen when the Pacers were eliminated by the LA Lakers, losing 2-4 in the 2000 NBA Finals. The 56-year old spent his entire career with the Pacers, despite rumors of him leaving for the New York Knicks.
It is safe to say that Reggie Miller will go down as one of the best playmakers in NBA history. However, there will always be the NBA title which evades his glorious career.
