Miller Lifts Pacers To Series Tie With Celtics

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

BOSTON – Reggie Miller still had a big shot left in his 39-year-old body.


Miller hit a 13-footer for Indiana’s last basket, capping his 28-point game and leading the Pacers to an 82-79 win over the Boston Celtics that tied their playoff series at one game each last night.


It was quite a comeback for the Pacers and Miller, who hit just one of seven shots and scored seven points in Boston’s 102-82 opening win Saturday night.


After Miller, who plans to retire after the season, gave the Pacers the three-point lead, Ricky Davis missed a jumper with 31 seconds to go and Jermaine O’Neal rebounded for Indiana. Anthony Johnson then missed from the left corner with 6 seconds remaining and Paul Pierce rebounded for Boston.


But Pierce, who led the Celtics with 33 points, missed a very long 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds to go. Johnson rebounded again and kept the ball until time expired.


The best-of-seven series shifts to Indiana on Thursday night for Game 3.


Boston had taken its biggest lead, 75-68, on Davis’s basket with 8:21 to go. But Indiana outscored the Celtics 18-10 in the fourth quarter, which began with Boston leading 69-64.


Antoine Walker’s layup had put Boston ahead 78-74 with 2:41 left. Johnson’s short jumper in the lane cut the lead to two and Indiana tied the game on Stephen Jackson’s dunk with 1:41 to go. Then Johnson drove the open lane for a layup and Pierce made one of two free throws, leaving Indiana ahead 80-79 with 56 seconds remaining.


Walker scored 19 for Boston and Jackson had 20 for Indiana, but just four after the first quarter.


Indiana led 30-22 after one quarter behind Jackson’s 16 points. The Pacers made nine of their first 10 shots, taking a 24-15 lead on the ninth basket, a dunk by O’Neal. During that stretch, Jackson hit all three of his 3-pointers and Miller went 2-for-2 on his.


Pierce also got off to a good start by making his first shot, a 23-foot jumper just 1:27 into the game. In the first game, he didn’t sink his first field goal until just 7:56 remained.


Early in the second quarter, the Pacers controlled the Celtics’ young backups much better than they did in the first game, when that group turned a two-point deficit after one quarter into a 15-point lead midway through the second.


Indiana led 37-30 when three Boston starters returned to the lineup. Just 3:30 later, the Celtics took their first lead, 42-40, on Pierce’s 3-pointer. But the Pacers got the last seven points for a 47-42 lead at intermission on James Jones’ 3-pointer at the buzzer.


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use