The New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers faced off in six playoff series from 1993 to 2000. Their rivalry was embodied by the hostility between Knicks superfan Spike Lee and former Pacers guard Reggie Miller. Who can forget Miller doing the choke sign in front of Lee on multiple occasions to taunt the Knicks for choking in the postseason. But do they still hate each other two decades after Miller’s retirement?
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Spike Lee touched upon the issue during a panel discussion with Ben Stiller, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Walt Frazier at the Fanatics Fest.
During the show, host Kazeem Famuyide pointed out that the Knicks are going to take on the Pacers during the home opener for the 2024-25 season. Lee instantly relayed his dislike for the Knicks’ rivals, but revealed that he doesn’t have any beef with Miller anymore.
The 67-year-old highlighted how the former Pacers guard retired two decades ago and now they have buried the hatchet. Now they are both on friendly terms. Lee said,
“You know I don’t like them but me and Reg are cool though… That sh** happened over 20 years ago. People still walk up to me and Reggie and ask us if we hate each other. There’s no hate between me and Reggie, it’s all good.”
Such sentiments would have been unthinkable during the the height of the Lee-Miller rivalry. Their heated moments made up for some of the iconic memories in the league’s history.
But what triggered the embers of animosity between them?
A brief look at the Spike Lee-Reggie Miller rivalry
Spike Lee has a habit of talking trash to New York Knicks’ opponents when they are at the Knicks’ home floor, Madison Square Garden. Meanwhile, Reggie Miller was notorious for talking smack too. Therefore, they were bound to beef considering how often their teams clashed against each other.
Miller got a golden chance to taunt Lee when he erupted for a 25-point fourth quarter in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals to hand the Knicks three losses in a row. The Pacers sharpshooter then did the famous choke signal in Lee’s direction to imply that the Knicks were succumbing in the pressure.
However, the Knicks had the last laugh as they came out on top during the heated seven-game series. Then during Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, Miller scored 8 points in 9 seconds to bury the Knicks. He once again did the choke signal and helped his Pacers edge past the Knicks in another seven-game affair.
The Knicks and the Pacers each won three out of the six series clashes between them during the Reggie Miller era. But as Spike mentioned, those are now things of the past. Both legends have moved on.
