NEW York Knicks superfan Spike Lee came to Madison Square Garden with a surprise gift for Indiana Pacers legend and once-nemesis Reggie Miller on Wednesday night.
The retired five-time All-Star called Game 2 of New York’s second-round NBA playoffs series with Indiana for TNT Sports.
Miller, 58, became an MSG villain during his 18-year career with the Pacers, featuring six postseason encounters with the Knicks between 1993-2000.
He earned the status in big part due to his spat with Lee, 67, in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, during which he made the infamous choke gesture towards the filmmaker.
A year later, the former 6-foot-7 shooting guard put up an epic performance that added to New York’s animosity toward the now-TNT Sports analyst.
He stole Game 1 of the conference semifinals from the Knicks, scoring eight points over the final nine seconds to wipe out their six-point lead and secure a 107-105 win for Indy.
Knowing the Pacers icon would be back at MSG on Wednesday night, Lee brought two framed New York Post and New York Daily News back pages, featuring stories about their 1994 altercation.
Miller then signed the presents as he caught up with Lee on the sidelines.
The TNT Sports commentator worked the Minnesota Timberwolves-Denver Nuggets matchup alongside Kevin Harlan and Jamal Crawford earlier this week.
But with the Timberwolves-Nuggets series heading to ESPN over the weekend, he joined Brian Anderson and Stan Van Gundy behind the mic for Game 2 of the Pacers-Knicks series.
The NBA icon sent a warning to the New York faithful before heading to the Big Apple.
“Just know, the Boogeyman is coming back to town to call the game,” Miller said on The Dan Patrick Show on Monday.
“I am coming.”
Madison Square Garden roared and trembled as the Knicks rallied back in the Game 1 win, adding to the already mentally taxing experience of postseason basketball the Pacers had to face.
And Miller said he expected to feel the wrath of the New York faithful on Wednesday night, too.
“I’m sure I’ll hear the chants, I’m sure I’ll hear all those naughty words,” he said.
“I’m good with that, but I’m there to do a job, to call a game.
Miller added he would even be surprised if he didn’t hear some foul language directed at him by the Garden crowd.
“Actually, I’ll be a little hurt if I don’t hear, ‘Reggie sucks.’ I kind of want that,” he said.