It’s been a long time coming—and this time, the drama finally finds its closure. Twenty-five years after the Pacers’ last NBA Finals appearance, the franchise is once again facing off against a familiar foe: the New York Knicks. For Spike Lee and other die-hard fans, it brings far more than nostalgia. It’s the same clash that stirred up one of the league’s most heated rivalries—on and off the court.
Naturally, this rematch carries extra weight. The Knicks and Pacers are no strangers to high-stakes tension, dating all the way back to 1993. This will be their ninth playoff meeting, a rivalry stacked with legendary moments from Reggie Miller and Patrick Ewing. Statistically, the Pacers hold the edge, having won five of those eight playoff series. In ECF history, the Knicks hold a 2–1 edge, winning in 1994 and 1999, before Indiana broke through in 2000.
So it makes sense why emotions are already stirring. When asked how he felt about the Knicks potentially clashing with the Pacers in the next round, Spike didn’t dodge. “Here’s the thing, I know already they’re gonna be digging up stuff from me and Reggie Miller.” That’s the kind of history fans feed on—but Lee made it clear this isn’t about personal vendettas anymore.
In fact, he set the record straight. “I like to tell everybody me and Reggie Miller were cool. That stuff, how many years ago, 20 years ago, has been dead and buried,” Lee said. “Got nothing but respect. This is mutual respect between Reggie Miller and I.” Lee knows the fan banter will be relentless, but he’s trying to shut that door before it even opens—no more using the old feud as ammo.
Still, Spike’s not about to pretend everything’s peachy. “So if you’re gonna try to stir up some stuff, I guarantee you me and Reggie are not going for that. We’re cool,” he said. But he can’t say the same for the Indiana city. “That’s me and Reggie, but them people in Indiana, that’s another thing.”
So as Knicks and Pacers get ready for their matchup, let’s rewind and unpack how that infamous feud first ignited.
Spike Lee’s 20-year-old beef with Reggie Miller
When we talk rivalries in the NBA, it’s usually player vs. player or team vs. team. But this one? It was something else entirely. We’re talking about an all-time feud between Pacers legend Reggie Miller and Knicks superfan Spike Lee. Yep, a Hall of Famer and a movie director in one of the most unexpected beefs the league has ever seen. And it wasn’t petty either—it was pride, ego, and straight-up unforgettable drama that turned this into a story for the ages.
Back in the ’90s, the Knicks and Pacers were locked in one of the fiercest playoff rivalries. They met six times between 1993 and 2000, and with every matchup came fireworks. Spike, being the ultimate Knicks loyalist, was courtside at every game, letting the trash talk fly. But Reggie? He wasn’t the type to take it quietly. His comebacks were just as sharp—if not sharper.
The seeds of this feud were sown on June 1, 1994, during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, when Reggie Miller erupted for 39 points, including 25 in the fourth quarter, to seal a Pacers victory—and, in full view of courtside superfan Spike Lee, famously flashed the now‑iconic “choke” gesture in Lee’s direction. And just like that, the feud went public—TV cameras, tabloid headlines, and all. From that moment on, every Knicks-Pacers game had an extra layer of tension, mostly fueled by those two.
That single performance, which erased a 15‑point Knicks lead and handed Indiana a 3–2 series edge, sent shockwaves through New York. It instantly elevated Miller to “Knicks‑Killer” status, while Lee’s animated reactions became as much a part of the narrative as Miller’s clutch shooting. Knicks fans turned Lee’s courtside taunts into rallying cries, and Miller reciprocated whenever the Garden grew quiet, chanting back at the megastar director with every dagger he drilled
MANHATTAN, NY – CIRCA 1990’s: Guard Reggie Miller #31 of the Indiana Pacers is guarded closely by John Starks #3 of the New York Knicks circa mid 1990’s during an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York. Miller played for the Pacers from 1987-05. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
The feud reached its theatrical apex on May 7, 1995, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Miller scored eight points in 8.9 seconds—capping the run with yet another choke sign aimed squarely at Lee. This cemented one of the NBA’s most unforgettable clutch moments. In interviews, Miller likened it to the Hatfield‑McCoy feud, while The New York Times in 1998 called it “as combustible as any in the league.”
Despite the animosity, the two never exchanged blows, and by the mid‑2000s, the fire cooled. They flared again when the Knicks and Pacers met in the 2024 playoffs. Lee surprised Miller with framed newspaper back pages from that infamous 1994 game. Miller signed them on the spot, declaring the feud officially laid to rest. A few days later at All‑Star Weekend, Lee hugged Miller on national television, with both men acknowledging that mutual respect had finally triumphed over two decades of theatrics.
With the Knicks and Pacers back in the Eastern Conference Finals, the fire’s been relit. Fans are buzzing, the stakes are sky high, and this old-school beef just might have a few chapters left to write.
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