No 'Miller Time' in NBA Finals debut
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - There was no ''Miller Time'' for Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers in their NBA Finals debut.
The player who built a career on sinking shots that drive daggers in opponents' hearts scored a career playoff-low seven points on 1-for-16 shooting and the Pacers lost 104-87 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.
Miller's performance was the sixth-worst in finals history for players who attempted at least 10 field goals in a game.
''This is the biggest series of our careers and you want to play the best that you possibly can, but the good thing about it is there's a game on Friday,'' he said. ''It's just one of those off nights and Friday will be an on night.''
Miller's vaunted 3-point shooting was non-existent. He went 0-for-3 from long-range, where the 12-year veteran has hit more 3-pointers than any player in NBA history.
''Reggie's just got to make a few,'' Pacers coach Larry Bird said. ''He's carried us a long way and he'll be back.''
The Pacers believe they will be, too.
''As crazy as it sounds, we feel good about where we are right now,'' said Mark Jackson, who led the team with 18 points. ''We didn't play good basketball. We had some good looks, we didn't knock them down, we made a run.''
Defensively, the Pacers know they'll have to do a better job containing Shaquille O'Neal, who had 43 points and 19 rebounds.
''We know he's going to get his looks, but when he's getting his looks like that, a lot of them were too easy,'' Miller said.
Miller also got wide-open looks on four of his early attempts. He had room to operate on the baseline, although he was unsuccessful shooting over the 7-foot-1 O'Neal.
''If they continue to give me these looks they're going to be in trouble,'' Miller said. ''My first four baskets went in and out and every shot but one felt good, so if they're going to play me like that, it's only a matter of time.''
Miller, Indiana's heart and soul for 13 years, was scoreless in the first half, missing all seven shots. Indiana didn't fare much better, going 16-of-38 from the field.
His first points came on two free throws at 8:19 of the third period. His first field goal came on his ninth attempt about three minutes later to draw the Pacers within 10 points.
''I feel bad all I got up was 16 shots. If I was going to be 1-for-16, I at least should have been like 1-for-25 or something,'' he said. ''I felt I didn't get enough looks.''
The crowd at Staples Center taunted him as he sat on the bench in the closing minutes. Miller, a native of nearby Riverside who starred at UCLA, never reacted, keeping quiet on a night when his famous cockiness remained under wraps.
Asked if he was angry, disappointed or frustrated, Miller replied, ''Probably all three of those.''
In the fourth quarter, Miller tossed up an airball, then missed a 3-pointer with the Pacers down by 10 points.
It was quite a different showing than the fourth quarter of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. Miller scored 17 of his 34 points in the period as the Pacers beat the Knicks in New York to reach the finals.
''Miller is the type of guy I've never really seen him off two games, so he's going to come to play Friday,'' O'Neal said.