Recent off a disheartening 123-107 loss to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder in Recreation 2, it regarded just like the Indiana Pacers have been in hassle. It appeared as if OKC has them discovered. However the Pacers have been punching above their weight class all playoffs lengthy, and in Recreation 3, they have been the higher workforce, particularly within the clutch, as they took a 116-107 victory over the Thunder on Wednesday night time to regain management of the sequence.
There have been a number of Indiana sporting icons in attendance. One in all them was Caitlin Clark, who continued to be a good-luck allure for the Pacers as they remained unbeaten on this yr’s playoffs together with her in attendance. However in attendance together with Clark was Pacers GOAT Reggie Miller, who sat courtside carrying a Flo-Jo Mark Jackson Pacers jersey. Miller can root for the Pacers with out holding again this time, now that he is not part of the commentary crew calling the sport.
After the Pacers’ win, Miller expressed his pleasure after seeing Indiana handle enterprise, and he revealed the most important issue that fueled their essential Recreation 3 victory.
“I feel it was huge for the Pacers [that] they by no means bought down like in Video games 1 and a pair of by double digits. You gotta maintain it shut versus [the Thunder] trigger we all know how good they’re after they stretch that lead,” Miller advised participant correspondent Dyson Daniels, by way of the official NBA account on X.
Very similar to others did, Miller shouted out the Pacers bench for his or her invaluable contributions; specifically, Bennedict Mathurin and TJ McConnell got here in and stored Indiana within the sport — setting the stage for the likes of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam to seal the deal late within the fourth.
“Their bench, their depth. We have seen that all through the playoffs. Tonight, the Pacers [bench] bought the very best of them. TJ was unbelievable, I believed his hustle, his steals [were great] and Mathurin offered the factors for them,” Miller added.
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Pacers look to complete the job 25 years after Reggie Miller’s NBA Finals heartbreak
In 2000, the Pacers lastly broke by the Japanese Convention and made it to the NBA Finals for the primary time with Miller main the best way. Alas, they bumped into the buzzsaw that was the Shaquille O’Neal/Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles Lakers and ended up shedding in six video games.
25 years later, the Pacers are in want of simply two extra wins to avenge that heartbreak, and Miller will definitely have their again each step of the best way.