Thursday 9 August 2007

Return of the Clutch shooter


Return of the Man ! Reggie Miller former Indiana Pacers clutch shot specialist is being lured to make a comeback onto the NBA with the Boston Celtics. The team is positioning itself as it seeks a return to glory last felt 17 years ago during the era of one of NBA's legends and coincidentally a former coach to Miller, Larry Bird.
I must say this was one of my favourite players and had a memorable career though without the coveted NBA play-offs championship ring. Overcoming a history of leg deformities (it shows from his spindly legs)he turned out to be one of NBA's most lethal player outside the D,3-point play area. He is also remembered as one few players to have played for one team in the whole of their careers...well until now if it goes through !
He holds the NBA record for career three-pointers made i.e 2,560. He also had his jersey # 31 retired for the Indiana Pacers. He is currently working as an NBA commentator for TNT. We may also remember his sibling one Cheryl Miller-US women basketball great-one of the few woman to ever dunk !
The Celtics have also acquired Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen as they opt to work towards championship basketball. They will team up with Paul Pierce a more seasoned Celtic player.
One of my most memorable games is in 1998, where the Pacers trailed the Chicago Bulls 2-1 in the Eastern Conference series and were behind 94-93 in Game 4 with less than three seconds remaining.

Miller fought free of defender Michael Jordan, caught an inbounds pass, turned and made a game-winning 3-point shot. The Pacers eventually pushed the series to a decisive 7th game in Chicago, a game in which the Pacers led early before loosing steam. The Bulls took the series and went on to win their 6th and final championship with Jordan.
I don't know how many times I rewound a VCR tape of this game just to watch that play again. Too bad I lost the tape thanks to 'non-returning' lent buddies
I also remember a line from famed film director and New York Knicks fanatic Spike Lee, “When he’s old and in a wheelchair, they’re going to roll him out onto the [Madison Square] Garden court and he’s still going to hit threes."

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