As a big Chicago Bulls fan growing up watching all 6 Championships. The Pacers and Knicks series were SCARY during that era. That 1998 series was the biggest nail biter in my book that I watched. Those were dangerous squads.
1998 Eastern Conference Finals had the storyline and the "nail-biting-ness" of NBA Finals. Lived in Chicago at that time, witnessed the greatness, but Knicks and the Pacers were scary
while the jazz and sonics were both good at that time, there was always a feeling that the finals champ was going to be whoever won the east. Knicks and Pacers were always in the playoffs. It was amazing to watch, even if my wolves were so terrible they weren't making the playoffs.
So many great teams in the 90s, the pacers, the rockets, the sonics, the knicks, the suns, the cavs, the jazz, the spurs, the magic, what a great decade it was... and of course Michael Jordan and the bulls dominating!
Reggie may have been the most dangerous "clutch scorer" in the NBA. It may be sacrilegious to say it now, but long before "Dame Time" became a thing, there was Miller Time (and it was arguably way more fun!)
The photo at 0:55 makes me shake my head. Most unfortunate draft in history. #1 Daugherty lived up to expectations averaging 20/10 but played only 8 seasons! #2 Len Bias died three days after being selected by Boston. #3 Chris Washburn had a drug problem. Played 72 games scoring 3ppg. Got a lifetime NBA ban. #4 Chuck Person could score. Solid career but is now going to prison due to FBI NCAA probe. #5 Kenny Walker won the slam dunk contest. Yup. (7 ppg over 7 years) *_Six all-star games from these guys - all Brad Daugherty._* 😐
1998 Pacers: Reggie Miller HoF - All-star 1998. 7"4 Rik Smith - All-star 1998. Chris Mullin HoF. Jalen Rose. Dale Davis - 1x All-star. Anthonio Davis - 1x All-star. Mark Jackson - 1x All-star, 1x Nba assists leader ( 1997 ), Rookie of the Year. Derrick McKey - 2x All-Defensive second Team.
To everybody above my comment I dont think he meant the Pacers were bad he's saying even if Larry Coached for a bad team the players will still be at their best
Reggie was a fierce competitor. When MJ was dirty Reggie was dirty back, MJ didn't like that so much (which led to their fight once). That time when Reggie hit the game winner (or he thought he did) he full on pushed MJ out the way to retrieve the ball lol
I still say that the 1998 eastern conference finals was the best playoff series ever. The idea the bulls could actually loose and that reggie had that killer instinct made that series awesome.
I’m a pacers fan and we got really lucky not to be swept .. once it went 7 I knew we could win but tony kukoc saved the bulls in the 4th and we choked what’s knew pacers always let me down
Y'all are def 🤡's if you seriously think that the '97-'98 squad woulda coulda shoulda been swept by any team. Frfr, that team didn't make the playoffs every year and ECF soo many times by being "lucky" foh
The Pacers weren’t intimidated by the Bulls, and actually believed they could beat the bulls, that’s what got them to a 7th game, in all reality. The Bulls dominated teams partly because they intimidated teams and made them doubt they could compete. Imagine a team that is use to cruising against everyone, run into a team that forced them to the brink up until the last 2 minutes of a game 7? I remember watching this and couldn’t believe the Bulls was still struggling with these guys late in the 4th.
That series against the bulls made me a reggie fan and root for the pacers since i'm not from the US and then the same reason i became a bibby and kings fan because they took a 3 peat team again. Man it's hard to root for the team against the GOATS
And the fact that he couldn't do it, isn't a slap in Reggie's face, but an overwhelming testament to just how great MJ was, and how good that team really was.
Dang Bomani! Just a straight up assassin with these. This is such a good side gig for you. Nothing but hits so far. I need to save and compile all of these and run it back for the complete package of The Last Dance and Bulldozed.
I wish the great Jermaine O’Neal and that powerful 04-05 squad could’ve delivered a championship. One of the worst parts of the Malice at the Palace was how it ruined Miller’s last year.
It's because he knows there's enough time for Jordan to make a game winner of his own. There was still 0.7 seconds on the clock and Jordan actually almost hit the shot, but it went in and out and the Pacers won that game.
Kyle A brawl and devastating injuries to key players at the end of Reggie’s career. The Pacers won 61 games the year before the brawl but Jermaine O’Neal hurt his knee in the first round of the playoffs. They still pushed Detroit to 6 games. To me that was their best opportunity.
This is true! I grew up in Indianapolis, and I watched a lot of games or listened to them on 1260 WNDE. Slick Leonard and Mark Boyle... "COUNT IT!!!!! AND PUT HIM ON THE LINE!!!!!!!!!" Great memories!
Reggie Miller is one of the best players to never win a ring. So many years, the Pacers were the second best team in the NBA, while the Bulls were the first. And unlike teams today, indiana put that team together through the draft and savy moves over years. I still blame the refs for many of the losses in NY. Just like Sacramento back in the day, small market teams get no love.
Right? And you’d think with how great the pacers were, they should’ve faced the bulls more than just that one series in ‘98. I’d say the Pacers would’ve fared better vs the Bulls over the Knicks in prior seasons had they met
when people diss reggie miller i just gotta let them know he was in the 1995 east finals in a game 7 and 2004 east finals in a game 6...my dude was still a starter on 2 contenders a decade apart basically...thats all you gotta say about his career...he was solid....in 2005 they may have made the finals again if artest did not go crazy
This series left me with so many mixed feelings - I was a Bulls fan and became a Reggie Miller fan during the 1993-94 season after Jordan retired. So when the Bulls and Pacers met in the 1998 ECF, I was cheering for the Pacers although the Bulls were my (close) #2 team. I hate to admit this but the Bulls never should have lost Game 4 - this probably should have been a 5 game series - but the funny thing is that once it went to Game 7, the Pacers were in a winning position and maybe should have won that game. But the Bulls once again showed who they were in the last 6:30 of Game 7 and deserved the series victory. A series that I will remember for the rest of my life, no question about that. 🏀
This reminds me of how teams used to spend years building a championship-level squad. And by years, I don't mean 2-3, I mean like a decade. People can complain about how it's not fair to the players to expect loyalty and all that, but the fans love it. The fans are the reason the game exists at all. The big market teams have an advantage where it doesn't matter who is on the roster as long as it's entertaining, the sheer population of the city guarantees the seats will be filled. That's why I'm so happy for the Bucks, they built a team the traditional way in a smaller market and it made their ring a greater achievement than some random 3-4 year stop from a collection of superstars.
What I will never understand is how the 1999 NBA Finals wasn't Utah vs. Indiana. Both the Jazz and the Pacers gave Chicago absolutely all they could handle. Both series' could have gone either way. Clearly with the Bulls disassembled, the door was wide open for both Indiana and Utah to take over the NBA... but it never happened. Utah got bounced in the second round by San Antonio, and the Pacers got knocked out in the Eastern Conference Finals by an 8th-seeded New York team that barely finished over .500 in the regular (lockout-shortened) season.
I've checked current players. For Game Scores over 40, Kawhi has 0. KD has 8, Steph has 9, Giannis has 5, AD has 14. Guess how many Harden has? 26! He's tied with LeBron. MJ is way ahead of everyone at 56.
Family in Chicago but grew up in Indy. It just so happens that MJ, Kobe, and Tom Brady were all really good at the same time the Colts and Pacers were at their best, so not nearly as many championships came to Indy as expected. The Colts won the most regular season games of the first decade of the 2000s. I always had a team to root for between Bulls, Pacers, Colts, and even the incredible 2005 White Sox. Sports were fun back then. MJ, Reggie, and Peyton were all unstoppable on their best days.
He should have mentioned that Jordan guaranteed victory before Game 7 in 98. It was neck and neck, Miller had 22 points heading into the 4th quarter, then Jordan switched out to guard him and Miller finished the game with those same 22 points. Jordan let him score zero 4th quarter points, and the rest is history.
@@kenneths.perlman1112 yes he was. 7 for 11 with 21 points. Pippen had really fallen behind Kukoc near the end there. He got injured and just wasnt the same. Kukoc came up big a few times in that playoffs. Even in the finals in Game 6 with Pippen's injured back hobbling along, Kukoc was the second leading scorer with 15 but also the only other player besides Jordan with double digit shot attempts. He was their second best player in 98. Doesn't get nearly enough credit.
I just wished I was old enough to understand the game back then in the 90s and also been born to watch the game in the 80s, mannnnnn that would’ve been great
I remember all those games as fan of the Knicks hatted him 2nd to Jordan but man I love them both and how much I be so happy to meet them. Those where great NBA games and are the greatest legends of my ERA.
Only two teams took the Championship bulls to 7 games during the playoffs. One was the 1992 Knicks, the other was the 1998 Pacers. The east was stacked in the 90's.
I always said that the reason they were as good as they were, was the fact Reggie Miller was their best player. I also always the reason they were never better than they were, was Reggie Miller was their best player.
i'd say the 92 and 93 knicks more than the suns. the 1997 jazz also had a shot til they flopped during the flu game. the 92 blazers also had a chance but blew it vs the bulls bench.
@@scottb3034 For me, the 93 Knicks lost their edge with X-man’s departure. Then, in ‘94, Riley made a rare strategic mistake by not using Rolando Blackman when Starks was clearly struggling with his shot in the finals. Game 7 will haunt Knicks fans of the time until they finally win another title. As for the 93 Suns…that one still hurts because KJ got hurt in a freak accident after he got hugged by Barkley. A healthy KJ likely would have pushed Phoenix over the top. Portland wasn’t winning anything that season. Their best shot was ‘91; that team could have bested Chicago because Jordan had yet to get the championship swagger that only comes from winning, and Drexler had been to the finals the year prior. Sadly, though, Magic and the Lakers had just enough left in the tank to reach the finals…only for Worthy to get injured, and for Pippen to more or less lock up Magic. It’s a real tricky balancing act to stay healthy AND catch your opponent at the time when your strengths outweigh theirs, plus a bunch of other intangible elements. I hated Jordan, but you really have to tip your hat to how they kept it together 3 consecutive years, and did it twice….on closing, though, I will say that I doubt that they would have beaten the Rockets in 94 and 95 if Jordan hadn’t gone off to play baseball.
@@dereklarner6298 the 93 Knicks still had the bulls in their grasp and favorable scheduling the rest of the series. They were a much greater threat than the sun's happened to be. The suns second win was really just a pride thing, to show they didn't roll over. I don't think they had enough consistency outside of kj and Charles to win in 93 against the bulls (think they could have pulled it out if the Knicks made it in 93). 94 was a much better opportunity and I think they do win if they got past the rockets. The suns looked prime to be the best team of the mid-90s until injuries killed it every season. 92 blazers had firm control of game 6 before choking against Hansen, Hodges and company. They should have taken that series 7. Although I doubt they win game 7. I believe the bulls win in 94 if Jordan stayed. That would have been by far the most talented team of the dynasty with all their key first 3 peat guys back and the addition of Kerr and kukoc. They could have won 70 with that team. 95 if everything else played out the same (losing grant, Cartwright, paxson, Scott Williams, etc) the rockets take that finals assuming Clyde is there. 95 is the only finals between 91 and 98 I feel the bulls would have lost had Jordan not retired. Based on your answer I am guessing you are a suns fan? I was really pulling for them in 94 and 95. I loved KJ and Charles during that era and low-key the 93 finals is probably my favorite finals to rewatch as a bulls fan...at least it is up there with 97 and 98. A shame they lost last year but y'all look strong again this year, maybe this is it! I miss 90s basketball and the bulls and suns were a big part of that.
@@scottb3034 I think we both have strong feelings on now we believe the history would have played out! As a fan of the Bird Celtics, I won’t lie; I enjoyed Larry putting out MJ in their playoff matchups, and when Danny Ainge was with Phoenix, yes, I rooted for the Suns.
How can they ignore the 2000 finals? The Pacers outplayed the Lakers by every single metric. They even outscored them in the series. A bad call at the end of game 6 basically sunk Indiana in that series. They crushed the Lakers in game 5 and it was a thing of beauty. Miller is still the best 3 point shooter of all-time.
*Games* *Each* *Player* *Shot* *30%* *Or* *Below* *Michael* *Jordan* (Chicago years) Regular: 29/930 = 3.1% Playoffs: 5/179 = 2.8% Total: 34/1109 = 3.1% *LeBron* *James* Regular: 47/1258 = 3.7% Playoffs: 9/239 = 3.8% Total: 56/1497 = 3.7% *Kobe* *Bryant* (only games he started) Regular: 110/1198 = 9.2% Playoffs: 11/200 = 5.6% Total: 121/1398 = 8.7% *40-Point* *Playoff* *Games* *On* *The* *Road* Michael Jordan = 16 LeBron James = 17 Kobe Bryant = 4 *40+* *Game* *Score* *+* *40-Point* *Playoff* *Game* Michael Jordan = 7 LeBron James = 6 Kobe Bryant = 2 *40+* *Game* *Score* *Total* (regular + playoffs) Michael Jordan = 56 LeBron James = 26 Kobe Bryant = 13 Just more proof Michael Jordan truly is the GOAT. I'm using advanced metrics. Not emotions or credible opinions from HoFers. MJ was a playoff road warrior. Kobe shot badly more than double as frequently as MJ and LeBron did and not enough 40+ Game Scores. If I took out Kobe's years after he tore his Achilles, his sub-30% games would still be about 7.6% or 7.4% of the games he played (83/1091 for regular, 94/1291 for total). So where do I see LeBron and Kobe being better than MJ except only in a few areas? MJ was practically better across the board. Better offensive player, better defensive player, higher PER, more 40 GameScores, more accolades, more clutch, more charismatic, more original. No matter how you slice it whether using the eye test, credible opinions from HoFers and not scrubs, and using the most advanced metrics, MJ always comes out on top. These are FACTS. I'm not BSing. The only ones BSing are the ones trying to deny it.
Yup And I ain't even mad the pacers traded the Jordan pick for nothing Reggie was a lot of fun And mj easily over Kobe and LeBron Lol imagine Jordan as a pacer
2:53 “Larry Brown won when he coached in San Antonio” Back then, his assistant coach was a young dude from a DIII basketball school named Gregg Popovich.
This is a great video. I lived in Indiana during that time, commuting to work an hour each way and listening to the games on the AM radio. I was just in time to catch the Pacers beating Orlando in the best of five, and I got hooked. I followed them until Reggie retired (and by then lived far away). Maybe it was just post-game good feelings, but Scottie Pippen said nobody challenged the Bulls more than the Pacers did in that series. I was pulling for an all-ABA Pacers Spurs final but the Knicks ruined that. Can't say the Knicks decades of struggle since then make me sad. LOL
The Packers also had Smooth Perkins, Chris Mullin, Travis Best, Austin Crosher, and others. They were deep on the bench. Being from Indiana, those were the golden years. They didn't get a championship, but they were always in the mix.
So the Davis brothers WERE NOT brothers? I always wondered why they didn't look alike, but announcers always called them brothers, as if they were serious.
The TOUGHEST team the Bulls faced during the 2nd 3-peat was Utah. Between both Finals (97 & 98) which was a total of 12 games, only TWO of those games where not close...the other 10 were decided by 5 points or less. The Pacers were a tough team, just not for the Bulls because in truth....Reggie got lucky when the refs did NOT call that CLEAR CUT offensive foul in Game 4 before he hit that go ahead 3-point shot AFTER he threw BOTH of his hands up and into Michael's chest with a hard shove to come around to catch & shoot. The Bulls were already up 2 at that point with 2.1 seconds left and if the refs calls that foul on Reggie which they SHOULD have, Bulls get 2 free throws or the ball on possession from turnover and likely go up 3-1 and I assure you they go home & close Indiana out in FIVE games.
![Jack Harlow - Hello Miss Johnson [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q86_nlRoIGw/mqdefault.jpg)
The Pacers were tough as fck. There was always that one player in crucial times that would hit a big shot.
Like Travis best vs the bucks in game 5
Rik hit one on Orlando
Or was that "one guy" a reference to Miller lul
Xennieal chayliss every team has players that have hit big shots. Not many have players like Reggie, that have hit many big shots year after year.
And they could play physical if that's what teams wanted to do. They had the Davis boys Dale and Antonio.
@@randyp8849 against Orlando game 1 1994
i did do and/or probably will love kareem abdul-jabbar almost as much as wilt chamberlain and bill russell
As a big Chicago Bulls fan growing up watching all 6 Championships. The Pacers and Knicks series were SCARY during that era. That 1998 series was the biggest nail biter in my book that I watched. Those were dangerous squads.
That 98 series was better than the finals
1998 Eastern Conference Finals had the storyline and the "nail-biting-ness" of NBA Finals. Lived in Chicago at that time, witnessed the greatness, but Knicks and the Pacers were scary
while the jazz and sonics were both good at that time, there was always a feeling that the finals champ was going to be whoever won the east. Knicks and Pacers were always in the playoffs. It was amazing to watch, even if my wolves were so terrible they weren't making the playoffs.
These “Bulldozed” segments are underrated. M.J kept so many H.O.F’s from rings 🐐
So did Pippen lmmfao
Did not keep bird from a ring, quite the opposite
Not really them same players couldn't win anyway
Reggie is a hella weak HOF'er. MJ AND Pippen kept them from rings.
@@stephenaintshyt mj and the bulls*
So many great teams in the 90s, the pacers, the rockets, the sonics, the knicks, the suns, the cavs, the jazz, the spurs, the magic, what a great decade it was... and of course Michael Jordan and the bulls dominating!
Reggie may have been the most dangerous "clutch scorer" in the NBA. It may be sacrilegious to say it now, but long before "Dame Time" became a thing, there was Miller Time (and it was arguably way more fun!)
Bird, Miller,Jordan,Bryant,Curry probably a solid topb5.
@@drdre4397 don't forget Me as well
@@drdre4397 curry chokes
@@lionsofwar6851 that’s a lie other than the 2016 finals but that’s really all
His coach was pretty good too.
The photo at 0:55 makes me shake my head. Most unfortunate draft in history.
#1 Daugherty lived up to expectations averaging 20/10 but played only 8 seasons!
#2 Len Bias died three days after being selected by Boston.
#3 Chris Washburn had a drug problem. Played 72 games scoring 3ppg. Got a lifetime NBA ban.
#4 Chuck Person could score. Solid career but is now going to prison due to FBI NCAA probe.
#5 Kenny Walker won the slam dunk contest. Yup. (7 ppg over 7 years)
*_Six all-star games from these guys - all Brad Daugherty._* 😐
You nice with the stats fam👍🏾
len bias was the lebron of his time
@@razkable he was legit as good if not better than mj in college and were friends
Brad Daugherty minus injuries I think would be talked about a lot more today
why len bias died??
Bomani putting out the best stuff that ESPN's ever done, man.
No doubt.
For real. Top quality that isn't overly produced. The type of content that youtube was originally intended for. 👍
L
100% and I love the deadpan delivery of the jokes.
wish he mentioned chris mullin but whatever
imagine getting coached by Larry Legend....... that would b a huge confidence booster....... no matter how shitty the roster is.......
1998 Pacers:
Reggie Miller HoF - All-star 1998.
7"4 Rik Smith - All-star 1998.
Chris Mullin HoF.
Jalen Rose.
Dale Davis - 1x All-star.
Anthonio Davis - 1x All-star.
Mark Jackson - 1x All-star, 1x Nba assists leader ( 1997 ), Rookie of the Year.
Derrick McKey - 2x All-Defensive second Team.
Allan Houston well you shut him up
@@allanhouston6759: Tru fam.... Rik was sooo nice with it👍🏾...... Good times😢
...... please give me three reasons why the ecf contender pacers were bad.
To everybody above my comment I dont think he meant the Pacers were bad he's saying even if Larry Coached for a bad team the players will still be at their best
Reggie wanted all that smoke just ask Spike
I wanna hear about this era on that all the smoke show
eric sigersmith Jax and Barnes didn’t play in that era though
He got all he wanted
No cap
Reggie was a fierce competitor. When MJ was dirty Reggie was dirty back, MJ didn't like that so much (which led to their fight once). That time when Reggie hit the game winner (or he thought he did) he full on pushed MJ out the way to retrieve the ball lol
I still say that the 1998 eastern conference finals was the best playoff series ever.
The idea the bulls could actually loose and that reggie had that killer instinct made that series awesome.
I’m a pacers fan and we got really lucky not to be swept .. once it went 7 I knew we could win but tony kukoc saved the bulls in the 4th and we choked what’s knew pacers always let me down
@@jsmiller0605 agreed with you, should have been done in 4 or 5 games. though i would add it was toni AND steve kerr that saved the bulls in game 7.
Y'all are def 🤡's if you seriously think that the '97-'98 squad woulda coulda shoulda been swept by any team. Frfr, that team didn't make the playoffs every year and ECF soo many times by being "lucky" foh
Reggie is still my favorite player of all time!!!
Me too!!
The Pacers weren’t intimidated by the Bulls, and actually believed they could beat the bulls, that’s what got them to a 7th game, in all reality. The Bulls dominated teams partly because they intimidated teams and made them doubt they could compete. Imagine a team that is use to cruising against everyone, run into a team that forced them to the brink up until the last 2 minutes of a game 7? I remember watching this and couldn’t believe the Bulls was still struggling with these guys late in the 4th.
I was a huge Pacers fan in the 90s but they broke my heart so many times 💔
That series against the bulls made me a reggie fan and root for the pacers since i'm not from the US and then the same reason i became a bibby and kings fan because they took a 3 peat team again. Man it's hard to root for the team against the GOATS
Mike tried to palm Reggie’s face like a Spaulding 😂😂😂😂
He almost scooped some of Reggie miller off Reggie miller's face
And yet Reggie got ejected while Jordan played the whole game. Not that Jordan got any breaks from the refs or anything
2:26 on the left you see Jalen Rose's preevolution. On the right it's his final evolution into Roseline.
DIDNT MEAN TO SEND THAT
And the fact that he couldn't do it, isn't a slap in Reggie's face, but an overwhelming testament to just how great MJ was, and how good that team really was.
Dang Bomani!
Just a straight up assassin with these.
This is such a good side gig for you. Nothing but hits so far. I need to save and compile all of these and run it back for the complete package of The Last Dance and Bulldozed.
The host's voice is so smooth
We were gonna win the championship the year the malice at the palace happened and our whole team got suspended
The image of the team was decimated as well in our city. If you ask me, the support has never been the same.
@Terry Bogard Honestly they would've had a shot. The Pistons took the Spurs to seven games I'm sure the Pacers would give em a run for their money
Terry Bogard Stephen Jackson would’ve had plenty to prove to Pop for letting him go! I definitely think they would’ve beat those spurs
95 98 99 00 04 05 pacer teams were no joke...
I had tickets to the Malice at the Palace game but gave them to Dave Hook.
Gonna be honest I was scared of the pacers back then and hated Reggie Miller but growing up and seeing him he is a very nice guy
1998 was close, but no cigar for Miller and the Pacers
And this is why mj is the goat, he stopped so many hof from getting rings while lebron just gave it away..
love wachting an MJ an the bulls an miller time good ole basketball
98 game 7 classic
Reggie Miller's still my favorite player of all time
I wish the great Jermaine O’Neal and that powerful 04-05 squad could’ve delivered a championship. One of the worst parts of the Malice at the Palace was how it ruined Miller’s last year.
We need this classic team on 2k21
Idk if thatll happen cause Reggie i think wont agree with his likeness with NBA2K thats why Charles Barkley isnt on there also
i love this series, Bomani Jones's personal charm makes them very interesting
Jordan's determination was uncanny like no other he was not going to let the Bulls lose no matter what I loved when he said we going to win game 7
10:00 Larry Bird looking sad but they actually hit the game winner.
bird was a cold man
because there was still like 2 seconds on the clock and mj had a good look but it spun out
It's because he knows there's enough time for Jordan to make a game winner of his own. There was still 0.7 seconds on the clock and Jordan actually almost hit the shot, but it went in and out and the Pacers won that game.
He waited for the offensive foul cause it was jordan who was pushed lmao
Cos Bird May be the most clutch person ever, and knew that the game wasn’t over when Jordan had 0.7sec left.
Reggie was clutch asf. When I was a kid I would say miller when taking a jump shot because he was money!
I would say "Reggie"...😂👍🏾
Solid content. Great to see the Pacers get some love. Pacers had to deal with Jordan, Kobe/Shaq and then the Lebron teams.
Kyle A brawl and devastating injuries to key players at the end of Reggie’s career. The Pacers won 61 games the year before the brawl but Jermaine O’Neal hurt his knee in the first round of the playoffs. They still pushed Detroit to 6 games. To me that was their best opportunity.
I don't think any NBA franchise has had more bad things happen to them and their players than the Indiana Pacers.
terrible luck that our best teams ran into 3 dynasties our other best team had Ron Artest and everyone knows how that went
Lebron? This was in the 90s bro. Lebron was still a child at this time. We are talking about the real killers of basketball .
finally someone noticed Miller and the Pacers almost did it!
Never understand why Rose was subbed out
So many people don't realize how good this team was. Every night was amazing to watch this team
This is true! I grew up in Indianapolis, and I watched a lot of games or listened to them on 1260 WNDE.
Slick Leonard and Mark Boyle... "COUNT IT!!!!! AND PUT HIM ON THE LINE!!!!!!!!!"
Great memories!
Pacers made the East Finals in 94, 95, 98, 99, 2000, and 2004..Pacers only won in 2000 and should've won in 1994..🏀📘📙🏟📚
@@fiesta061000 should won in 99 94 as well
I HATED Reggie Miller in the 90s!! Didn't help when he appeared on Hanging With Mr. Cooper 😂
Reggie Miller is one of the best players to never win a ring. So many years, the Pacers were the second best team in the NBA, while the Bulls were the first. And unlike teams today, indiana put that team together through the draft and savy moves over years. I still blame the refs for many of the losses in NY. Just like Sacramento back in the day, small market teams get no love.
Right? And you’d think with how great the pacers were, they should’ve faced the bulls more than just that one series in ‘98. I’d say the Pacers would’ve fared better vs the Bulls over the Knicks in prior seasons had they met
It's Miller Time. Well, almost.
Bright it's always Miller time win lose or draw
i feel so bad for him like imagine playing against mj and then when he retires playing against shaq with the same coach in the finals
when people diss reggie miller i just gotta let them know he was in the 1995 east finals in a game 7 and 2004 east finals in a game 6...my dude was still a starter on 2 contenders a decade apart basically...thats all you gotta say about his career...he was solid....in 2005 they may have made the finals again if artest did not go crazy
I LOVED watching Reggie Miller play.
Reggie Miller em💯
miller and the pacers were always undermaned and had less star power but fuk they played hard AF.
in 2004-2005 they had stars but then the brawl happened
The pacers made 4 ECF in the 90s. They were that great with a lot of other great strong teams.
Great Video!
These pacers made some of my favorite sports memories. That whole team was really something
From 1994-2000 almost Pacers are consistent on ECF and 1time Finals! thats a very tough team to beat!
The only time jordan beat bird in the playoffs and even then it took him 7 games
True
You must've forgot MJ avg 40 on Boston with all those HOFs? His team was trash.
Jalen Davis True. Still got swept every time though
@@jujuju948 they supposed to have gotten swept when the team was full of coke and weed heads.
@@RulingClassMentality thank you
Always been a Bulls fan, but I was hoping Reggie would have one that time. Arguably the best playoff series in NBA history.
I agree but I also believe they cheated the Pacers....
This series left me with so many mixed feelings - I was a Bulls fan and became a Reggie Miller fan during the 1993-94 season after Jordan retired. So when the Bulls and Pacers met in the 1998 ECF, I was cheering for the Pacers although the Bulls were my (close) #2 team. I hate to admit this but the Bulls never should have lost Game 4 - this probably should have been a 5 game series - but the funny thing is that once it went to Game 7, the Pacers were in a winning position and maybe should have won that game. But the Bulls once again showed who they were in the last 6:30 of Game 7 and deserved the series victory. A series that I will remember for the rest of my life, no question about that. 🏀
This reminds me of how teams used to spend years building a championship-level squad. And by years, I don't mean 2-3, I mean like a decade. People can complain about how it's not fair to the players to expect loyalty and all that, but the fans love it. The fans are the reason the game exists at all. The big market teams have an advantage where it doesn't matter who is on the roster as long as it's entertaining, the sheer population of the city guarantees the seats will be filled. That's why I'm so happy for the Bucks, they built a team the traditional way in a smaller market and it made their ring a greater achievement than some random 3-4 year stop from a collection of superstars.
love Bulldozed series, i cant wait for next chapter.
What I will never understand is how the 1999 NBA Finals wasn't Utah vs. Indiana.
Both the Jazz and the Pacers gave Chicago absolutely all they could handle. Both series' could have gone either way.
Clearly with the Bulls disassembled, the door was wide open for both Indiana and Utah to take over the NBA...
but it never happened.
Utah got bounced in the second round by San Antonio, and the Pacers got knocked out in the Eastern Conference Finals by an 8th-seeded New York team that barely finished over .500 in the regular (lockout-shortened) season.
Reggie would be perfect in the modern game and would probably hit more 3s in record since in the 90s the 3ball was an option not a weapon.
They came close..just would have made MJ more eager to go get that 3 peat anyway though..
It was 98? So you're saying he would come back in 99 and win 3 straight
big daddy buden hes a casual, dont worry.
If Reggie Miller can almost beat Jordan than Steph Curry can with the Warriors
@@brandonw6139 the 3 peat was in 98. what is the point of coming back in 99.
@@scopeworth7781 Not back in '98 when the pace was slower.
I've checked current players. For Game Scores over 40, Kawhi has 0. KD has 8, Steph has 9, Giannis has 5, AD has 14. Guess how many Harden has? 26! He's tied with LeBron. MJ is way ahead of everyone at 56.
Reggie was 1 of 3 players that made me fall in love with the game
The only thing that ended the Bulls dynasty in the 90’s was Mj himself.
Duh hence the title
Jerry Kraus will have something to say about that.
Jendl Irlandez no The owner does
Chris beach - No it was the Jerry kraus watch The last dance documentary, you'll learn something
Carlos Morales that was towards the end of their primes anyways im talking about the 94 an 95 seasons when the rockets won the title.
Man I was nervous to death watching game seven .
This series is everything I've ever wanted
The Pacers had a squad in the 1997-98 campaign. If they beat the Bulls, I think they would've beaten the Jazz in the Finals.
Those davis boys was no joke
smits jackson rose miller mullin davis bros mckey best..that team had toughness and skill...
They weren't. V G role players. But still role players.
The Pacers of the 90s were akin to the Kings of the early 2000s.
Family in Chicago but grew up in Indy. It just so happens that MJ, Kobe, and Tom Brady were all really good at the same time the Colts and Pacers were at their best, so not nearly as many championships came to Indy as expected. The Colts won the most regular season games of the first decade of the 2000s. I always had a team to root for between Bulls, Pacers, Colts, and even the incredible 2005 White Sox. Sports were fun back then. MJ, Reggie, and Peyton were all unstoppable on their best days.
That pacers squad was the funnest team ive ever watched. Legends.
Pacers had no business losing to the Knicks in 1999. Absolute choke job. That was the best opportunity to win it all.
He should have mentioned that Jordan guaranteed victory before Game 7 in 98. It was neck and neck, Miller had 22 points heading into the 4th quarter, then Jordan switched out to guard him and Miller finished the game with those same 22 points. Jordan let him score zero 4th quarter points, and the rest is history.
I was at that game 7. Kukic was GREAT.
@@kenneths.perlman1112 yes he was. 7 for 11 with 21 points. Pippen had really fallen behind Kukoc near the end there. He got injured and just wasnt the same. Kukoc came up big a few times in that playoffs. Even in the finals in Game 6 with Pippen's injured back hobbling along, Kukoc was the second leading scorer with 15 but also the only other player besides Jordan with double digit shot attempts. He was their second best player in 98. Doesn't get nearly enough credit.
That Dominique Wilkins trade in 1994 was one of the most silliest trades in NBA history it made no sense to me
That foul called on Antonio Davis. That gave Scottie the 2 free throws, still bothers me
I just wished I was old enough to understand the game back then in the 90s and also been born to watch the game in the 80s, mannnnnn that would’ve been great
I loved Mark posting up at half court to 3 pt line lol
biggest reasons pacers do not have a title
1.jordan
2.shaq
3.the throwdown in motown
4.they still an aba team
I remember all those games as fan of the Knicks hatted him 2nd to Jordan but man I love them both and how much I be so happy to meet them. Those where great NBA games and are the greatest legends of my ERA.
Been waiting for this one, and it didn’t disappoint.
This couldn't be more true in every word.
Only two teams took the Championship bulls to 7 games during the playoffs. One was the 1992 Knicks, the other was the 1998 Pacers. The east was stacked in the 90's.
I always said that the reason they were as good as they were, was the fact Reggie Miller was their best player. I also always the reason they were never better than they were, was Reggie Miller was their best player.
This... was an awesome video
92 Knicks and 93 Suns were legit challengers. I never felt that they were challenged in any other series from 91-98.
the 92 cavs 97 and 98 jazz and 98 pacers played them really well in rounds 3 4 and 3
i'd say the 92 and 93 knicks more than the suns. the 1997 jazz also had a shot til they flopped during the flu game. the 92 blazers also had a chance but blew it vs the bulls bench.
@@scottb3034
For me, the 93 Knicks lost their edge with X-man’s departure. Then, in ‘94, Riley made a rare strategic mistake by not using Rolando Blackman when Starks was clearly struggling with his shot in the finals. Game 7 will haunt Knicks fans of the time until they finally win another title. As for the 93 Suns…that one still hurts because KJ got hurt in a freak accident after he got hugged by Barkley. A healthy KJ likely would have pushed Phoenix over the top. Portland wasn’t winning anything that season. Their best shot was ‘91; that team could have bested Chicago because Jordan had yet to get the championship swagger that only comes from winning, and Drexler had been to the finals the year prior. Sadly, though, Magic and the Lakers had just enough left in the tank to reach the finals…only for Worthy to get injured, and for Pippen to more or less lock up Magic. It’s a real tricky balancing act to stay healthy AND catch your opponent at the time when your strengths outweigh theirs, plus a bunch of other intangible elements. I hated Jordan, but you really have to tip your hat to how they kept it together 3 consecutive years, and did it twice….on closing, though, I will say that I doubt that they would have beaten the Rockets in 94 and 95 if Jordan hadn’t gone off to play baseball.
@@dereklarner6298 the 93 Knicks still had the bulls in their grasp and favorable scheduling the rest of the series. They were a much greater threat than the sun's happened to be. The suns second win was really just a pride thing, to show they didn't roll over. I don't think they had enough consistency outside of kj and Charles to win in 93 against the bulls (think they could have pulled it out if the Knicks made it in 93). 94 was a much better opportunity and I think they do win if they got past the rockets. The suns looked prime to be the best team of the mid-90s until injuries killed it every season. 92 blazers had firm control of game 6 before choking against Hansen, Hodges and company. They should have taken that series 7. Although I doubt they win game 7. I believe the bulls win in 94 if Jordan stayed. That would have been by far the most talented team of the dynasty with all their key first 3 peat guys back and the addition of Kerr and kukoc. They could have won 70 with that team. 95 if everything else played out the same (losing grant, Cartwright, paxson, Scott Williams, etc) the rockets take that finals assuming Clyde is there. 95 is the only finals between 91 and 98 I feel the bulls would have lost had Jordan not retired.
Based on your answer I am guessing you are a suns fan? I was really pulling for them in 94 and 95. I loved KJ and Charles during that era and low-key the 93 finals is probably my favorite finals to rewatch as a bulls fan...at least it is up there with 97 and 98. A shame they lost last year but y'all look strong again this year, maybe this is it! I miss 90s basketball and the bulls and suns were a big part of that.
@@scottb3034
I think we both have strong feelings on now we believe the history would have played out!
As a fan of the Bird Celtics, I won’t lie; I enjoyed Larry putting out MJ in their playoff matchups, and when Danny Ainge was with Phoenix, yes, I rooted for the Suns.
I can listen to this guy all day.
love bomani breaking down 90s ball. i saw another vid on the 90s Sonics.
Ahhhhh that 99’ season as a Knick fan....priceless
So close yet so far away. Even after Lakers 3peat, that 2004-2005 season that team was stacked, and we all know what happened.
How can they ignore the 2000 finals? The Pacers outplayed the Lakers by every single metric. They even outscored them in the series. A bad call at the end of game 6 basically sunk Indiana in that series. They crushed the Lakers in game 5 and it was a thing of beauty. Miller is still the best 3 point shooter of all-time.
This is saaaaad :( Reggie was my hero
This series is awesome
*Games* *Each* *Player* *Shot* *30%* *Or* *Below*
*Michael* *Jordan* (Chicago years)
Regular: 29/930 = 3.1%
Playoffs: 5/179 = 2.8%
Total: 34/1109 = 3.1%
*LeBron* *James*
Regular: 47/1258 = 3.7%
Playoffs: 9/239 = 3.8%
Total: 56/1497 = 3.7%
*Kobe* *Bryant* (only games he started)
Regular: 110/1198 = 9.2%
Playoffs: 11/200 = 5.6%
Total: 121/1398 = 8.7%
*40-Point* *Playoff* *Games* *On* *The* *Road*
Michael Jordan = 16
LeBron James = 17
Kobe Bryant = 4
*40+* *Game* *Score* *+* *40-Point* *Playoff* *Game*
Michael Jordan = 7
LeBron James = 6
Kobe Bryant = 2
*40+* *Game* *Score* *Total* (regular + playoffs)
Michael Jordan = 56
LeBron James = 26
Kobe Bryant = 13
Just more proof Michael Jordan truly is the GOAT. I'm using advanced metrics. Not emotions or credible opinions from HoFers. MJ was a playoff road warrior.
Kobe shot badly more than double as frequently as MJ and LeBron did and not enough 40+ Game Scores. If I took out Kobe's years after he tore his Achilles, his sub-30% games would still be about 7.6% or 7.4% of the games he played (83/1091 for regular, 94/1291 for total).
So where do I see LeBron and Kobe being better than MJ except only in a few areas? MJ was practically better across the board. Better offensive player, better defensive player, higher PER, more 40 GameScores, more accolades, more clutch, more charismatic, more original.
No matter how you slice it whether using the eye test, credible opinions from HoFers and not scrubs, and using the most advanced metrics, MJ always comes out on top. These are FACTS. I'm not BSing. The only ones BSing are the ones trying to deny it.
Yup
And I ain't even mad the pacers traded the Jordan pick for nothing
Reggie was a lot of fun
And mj easily over Kobe and LeBron
Lol imagine Jordan as a pacer
The 1992' Knicks were very good too & took the Bulls to 7 as well.
That ECSF series was brutal too. I remember X-Man saying after game 1 "this is a man's game".
that was the true scare, not this flukey, badly officiated series.
Reggie was fearless!
Reggie is the most clutch... he took the bulls to a game 7 and he did very well to get under Jordan’s skin
I love this series. 😭
2:53 “Larry Brown won when he coached in San Antonio”
Back then, his assistant coach was a young dude from a DIII basketball school named Gregg Popovich.
This is a great video. I lived in Indiana during that time, commuting to work an hour each way and listening to the games on the AM radio. I was just in time to catch the Pacers beating Orlando in the best of five, and I got hooked. I followed them until Reggie retired (and by then lived far away). Maybe it was just post-game good feelings, but Scottie Pippen said nobody challenged the Bulls more than the Pacers did in that series. I was pulling for an all-ABA Pacers Spurs final but the Knicks ruined that. Can't say the Knicks decades of struggle since then make me sad. LOL
They had a chance in 2004 Mallace in the Palace year
The Packers also had Smooth Perkins, Chris Mullin, Travis Best, Austin Crosher, and others. They were deep on the bench. Being from Indiana, those were the golden years. They didn't get a championship, but they were always in the mix.
Pacers, not packers.
Why isn’t Reggie miller on 2k. He would be a beast.
The same reason why Charles Barkley isn’t.They’re not trying to give 2k their rights to be in the game.
The 1992 New York Knicks also came close to preventing the Bulls from repeating as champions that year.
I actually think They were closer in 93 since they almost won game 5 then being 3-2 up and having game 7 at home.
The ”Charles Smith game”
Loved the Pacers Kincks rivalry during the 90s. So neck and neck.
Your forget Shaquille’s Orlando Magic
So the Davis brothers WERE NOT brothers? I always wondered why they didn't look alike, but announcers always called them brothers, as if they were serious.
The TOUGHEST team the Bulls faced during the 2nd 3-peat was Utah. Between both Finals (97 & 98) which was a total of 12 games, only TWO of those games where not close...the other 10 were decided by 5 points or less.
The Pacers were a tough team, just not for the Bulls because in truth....Reggie got lucky when the refs did NOT call that CLEAR CUT offensive foul in Game 4 before he hit that go ahead 3-point shot AFTER he threw BOTH of his hands up and into Michael's chest with a hard shove to come around to catch & shoot. The Bulls were already up 2 at that point with 2.1 seconds left and if the refs calls that foul on Reggie which they SHOULD have, Bulls get 2 free throws or the ball on possession from turnover and likely go up 3-1 and I assure you they go home & close Indiana out in FIVE games.
Just imagine what would have transpired had Jordan, Pippen and Phil not be the core of those Bulls teams that led them to dominance.
Brahmani needs his own network good reporting all facts
love this series
Feel bad for Reggie, he deserves at least one title.
The Malice at the Palace ruined his best chance. That Pacers team was formidable
I really like your narration!