Tough love: It's time to bench Reggie By Sean Deveney - SportingNews The thought is almost unfathomable for NBA observers, or anyone living within a 300-mile radius of Indianapolis. Imagine the Pacers, winners of a league-high 61 games last season, taking the court at Conseco Fieldhouse to start this season with No. 31 still in his warmups. Imagine what a Pacers starting lineup would be with venerable shooting guard Reggie Miller -- who is to Pacers basketball what beef is to Burger King -- planted firmly on the bench. Back in Brooklyn, Spike Lee would shed a tear. But if the Pacers are going to nudge past the Pistons this season, their best bet is to do the unthinkable, something that hasn't been done in 16 years. They'll have to bring Reggie off the bench. This summer was one of bridesmaidhood for the Pacers. If there was a big-time NBA player wrung through the league's rumor mill, that rumor passed through Indianapolis. At various times (and to varying degrees), Indiana pursued Shaquille O'Neal, Peja Stojakovic, Erick Dampier and Tracy McGrady. When you collect a gaggle of young players with reasonable contracts and decent potential as the Pacers have, you're going to be a continuous subject of such rumors. Alas, none of those players will be Pacers. Neither will lesser targets such as Mark Blount, Brian Cardinal and Derek Fisher. Nor will draft targets Ben Gordon and Luke Jackson. It's not a terrible fate to have missed out on those guys. This still is an excellent young team, and heading into coach Rick Carlisle's second season, the Pacers are in good shape. The one player Indiana did land is shooting guard Stephen Jackson, acquired from the Hawks for small forward Al Harrington. Jackson is an improvement over Harrington. He's 6-8, versatile and can defend. He's a better perimeter shooter than Harrington and proved to be a clutch player with the Spurs in the 2003 Finals. The Pacers could have used his shooting touch against the Pistons last postseason, when they shot a miserable 26.8 percent from the 3-point line. When Harrington came off the bench, the Pacers were forced to use Ron Artest, a natural small forward, at shooting guard. With Jackson, Artest can stay out of the backcourt. Now comes the tricky part for the Pacers. They have to use Jackson, and the best way to do that is to do something that is unmentionable in Pacers circles -- put Miller on the bench. Miller still is a valuable player at 39, and he still should have a role. He shot 40.1 percent from the 3-point line last season and has accepted reduced billing, playing just 28.2 minutes per game. Carlisle routinely took Miller out of games with 5 minutes to go in the first quarter and let Harrington play for most of the second. In effect, Miller was a starter in name only. But it's time to put Miller in the role that best suits him: a 3-point specialist off the bench. Miller gets credit for being a dazzling off-the-screen shooter, and that has been the calling card of his career. However, Miller is not the athlete he was 10 years ago, and his off-screen shooting has dipped. At his age, he is not a threat to drive to the basket, and his defense is average. Jackson not only is a good spot-up shooter, he can drive to the hoop and pass. The Pacers need to put their best lineup on the floor to start games and use Miller as a weapon off the bench when the matchup is right, or when Pacers shooters are struggling. Jackson might chafe under Carlisle's restrictive offensive system -- Jackson's free-lancing drove Spurs coach Gregg Popovich batty -- but he has the potential to be as good an all-around player as Artest and the player who can make or break the team's attempt to dethrone the Pistons. Carlisle has hedged on the issue of who will start at shooting guard, saying he will wait for camp to make the decision. After he was traded to Indiana, Jackson made it clear he was willing to be Miller's backup. Undoubtedly, the franchise will be sensitive to what Miller wants. But Indiana was willing to take chances in at least pursuing big-name players this summer to shake up the lineup. Well, the Pacers now have a chance to shake up the lineup: Bench Reggie. Sean Deveney is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at sdeveney@sportingnews.com
reggie's a classy guy...i'm pretty sure he'll approach carlisle and offer to come off the bench. He's still a 23-25minute a game guy...and he's more than just a 3 point specialist. He's a smart player, he makes good decisions. But jackson is perhaps a better player at this point in his career. Jackson will start...and Miller will come off the bench. And it'll be a good run at the championship....which i'd say the odds of them taking are 10-1...which arent that bad
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">reggie's a classy guy...i'm pretty sure he'll approach carlisle and offer to come off the bench. He's still a 23-25minute a game guy...and he's more than just a 3 point specialist. He's a smart player, he makes good decisions. But jackson is perhaps a better player at this point in his career. Jackson will start...and Miller will come off the bench. And it'll be a good run at the championship....which i'd say the odds of them taking are 10-1...which arent that bad</div> Nicely said. Reggie Miller has been aware that he is no longer the player he once was; this is why he has slowly placed the franchise in Jermaine O'Neal hands in the last couple of years. Him going to the bench was something that was eventually going to happen, and I think he knows that. This was just part of the process. But nonetheless, this is the best move for him and for the franchise. And the type of man Reggie Miller is I know for a fact that he'll be fine with this transition. I just honestly, hope he gets a ring before he calls is quits.
No Way Bench reggie miller, come on , what this man has done for this team and the community, I can see it happening and if it does, how are the pacers going to justify it to the fans?
Stephen Jackson will do alot more than Reggie Miller can do this season. Reggie is good but Stephen can put up the points, run the floor, play D. Reggie Miller still has game but its discinigrating.
You guys really have no respect at all. Reggie Miller coming off the bench? Reggie Miller is the heart of the Pacers. I don't care if you have J. Oneal, or Artest, or Stephen Jackson. Reggie Miller IS the Indiana Pacers. Reggie will start, and he will finish all games (except for "garbage time"). Really, it amazes me how short people's memories are. If Reggie wanted to shoot the ball every time he got it, I am pretty sure he could still average 15+ points per game. Shooting is on skill that fades slowly with age. (A shell of a Glen Rice could still shoot). Reggie can still shoot the ball, he shot close to 40% from 3 last year. Stephen Jackson played with the Hawks. The HAWKS. They are the equlivent of an NBDL team with a nicer arena. I could probably score in double digits on the Hawks!(well, not really, but my point has been made) He has talent, he is more athletic then Miller, but in no way will he ever be a better player then Miller. Just watch a game, watch how Miller reads the defence, and gets to the open spot. If J. Oneal, and Ron Artest would feed him the ball more, you would notice. But watch the off the ball game. Reggie will start.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheMegaGreg:</div><div class="quote_post"> Just watch a game, watch how Miller reads the defence, and gets to the open spot. If J. Oneal, and Ron Artest would feed him the ball more, you would notice. But watch the off the ball game. Reggie will start</div> You are giving Regggie a little bit more credit than he deserves. The Pacers run a backdoor double screen play for Reggie, that is what frees him up. It really has little to do with him reading the defense. Besides, Reggie throws out his leg when he shoots (intentionally). It makes people hesitant to step out on him.
^ It works doesnt it? (The throwing of the leg) I know the Pacers run the backdoor double screen for Reggie, but not eveyone can be the runner in that play. Reggie has been doing it for close to 20 years, and to say he has perfected it would be an accurate description. He's a legend, and he does make everyone around him better. He is an underrated playmaker, and an underrated defender. He is just a smart basketball player, and that allows him to make up for his ageing body. I bet of Reggie could replace Jackson on the Hawks last year, he could have averaged 20+ points per game.
Reggie's great. But no doubt in my mind, over the course of an 82 game series, Jackson is the better player. Dont talk about how bad Atlanta was...fine..sure...but last time i checked the team Jackson was with "before" Atlanta wasnt all that bad. ;o) Jackson's the better fit to get the bulk of the minutes without a doubt. Either way's good though. Jackson would do well coming off the bench..as would Reggie..there both great players. Even if Jackson does start...or if he doesnt...end of a close game, given the choice of anyone in the league, I'd pick reggie any day. No one other than Jordan is/was/will be as clutch as Reggie
Reggie Miller is my favorite player and I respect his career, but it is time for him to come off of the bench. Firstly, he is clutch, not instant offense for 48 minutes. Secondly, this would be better for the Pacer organization. They got S. Jackson for the future. He needs to learn how to play with the Pacers while they have a legitimate guy able to take over when needed. Reggie is at his best near the end of games, and will be playing then once he recovers from his broken hand, but playing him throughout the game like he used to is not a good idea. S. Jackson will learn to play defense because Artest won't allow him to slack off. As for clutch shooting, the Pacers will have Reggie for one more year. Next year the pacers will have to find someone else to shoot in the clutch (Artest), but until then Reggie is still the man. Just because Jackson starts doesn't mean Reggie's number won't be called in a clutch situation because it will be called.
I do beleive it would be better for the team to use reggie as a 6th or 7th man. But they should still use him in clutch situations.
