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Reggie Miller calls out Knicks for being the frontrunners, not the Pacers

There has been a dumb narrative floating around from New York and Milwaukee media that the Pacers are frontrunners. Reggie Miller set the record straight.

By Ryan Stano

Apr 3, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers longtime Public Relations personal David Benner retires and poses for a photo with former guard Reggie Miller and his son before the game against the Detroit Pistons at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers longtime Public Relations personal David Benner retires and poses for a photo with former guard Reggie Miller and his son before the game against the Detroit Pistons at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
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The Indiana Pacers have beaten both the Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks in the playoffs. Now, they are in the Eastern Conference Finals. Neither the Bucks nor the Knicks appreciated Indiana playing them hard and knocking them out. Media from both cities, and players from both teams, created a dumb narrative.

Bobby Portis is really the one who started the "Pacers are frontrunners" narrative. He got mad that they were beating the Bucks badly on the court. He got frustrated enough that he got thrown out of a game. It was clear he wasn't used to getting pushed around.

Donte DiVincenzo started doing the same things. He started trash-talking and called Tyrese Haliburton a frontrunner. He also called out Myles Turner. Now, he's at home watching both of those players battle for a spot in the NBA Finals. Former Pacer Reggie Miller has come to the Pacers' defense.

Reggie Miller sets the record straight on the Pacers being frontrunners

Miller made sure to set things straight about this stupid narrative. He actually called game 2 of the second round between the Pacers and the Knicks. This is what he had to say about this narrative.

""You can make a case the Knicks were frontrunning and trash-talking. In Game 2, they didn't start chanting until the game was in hand. Josh Hart didn't come over to me until the game was in hand.""

- Reggie Miller

Miller is right. The Knicks were the ones who instigated most of the trash-talk, which is fine. Trash-talking is part of the game. Just make sure you can back it up. The Knicks clearly couldn't do so because they are the ones who are sitting at home while the Pacers are still playing.

Also, why would anyone talk smack while they are down or getting blown out or something? That's when it makes the least amount of sense to talk. You only talk when you're up because you actually have something to talk about.

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At this point, it doesn't really matter. The Pacers have been underdogs in every series they've been in and that will be the case again in the East Finals. They just have to keep playing hard.

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