The brilliance of Isiah

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here's a story about Isiah's genius strategy of having Reggie Miller guard
Antoine. That's just what you want, if you're a Celtics opponent-encourage
Antoine to go into the low post, draw the double team and find open people.
Brilliant.

What a coach.

Mark


Miller gets the call -- on defense
Pacers rely on Reggie, this time to stop Celtics' Walker
 
By Mark Montieth
mark.montieth@indystar.com <mailto:mark.montieth@indystar.com> 
April 24, 2003
 

The years pass, things change and perceptions must be altered.

For most of the past decade, the Indiana Pacers were highly predictable in
the playoffs. The offense revolved around Reggie Miller's perimeter
marksmanship, and the defense was a group effort.

Now, the offense revolves around the interior play of Jermaine O'Neal, and
the defense, while still a group effort, depends heavily on Miller's ability
to contain someone who outweighs him by 50 pounds.

Miller will resume his heavy lifting tonight when the Pacers meet Boston in
Game 3 of their first-round playoff series at the FleetCenter. As strange as
it might sound, Indiana's ability to regain homecourt advantage after
splitting the first two games at Conseco Fieldhouse will likely hinge
largely on their all-time leading scorer's defensive play against Antoine
Walker.

Who would have guessed that Miller Time would come when the Pacers don't
have the ball?

This series is an awkward fit for Miller because the Celtics have no obvious
player for him to guard. Jamaal Tinsley is the natural defender for Tony
Delk, and Ron Artest is the perfect assignment for their leading scorer,
Paul Pierce. That leaves Walker or Eric Williams, another forward with a
physical advantage, for Miller to guard.

That dilemma is part of the reason coach Isiah Thomas left Miller on the
bench for all but two minutes in the fourth quarter of the Pacers' Game 1
loss. But it was Miller's ability to neutralize Walker in Game 2 that kept
him on the court for the final 7:42 of the Pacers' win.

For Miller, it's all in a postseason day's work.

"I'm used to going against bigger and stronger guys," Miller said after the
Pacers' practice Wednesday. "Having to attack Mike (Jordan) throughout the
years and the other bigger two-guards, you get used to it."

The Pacers like their chances of winning the series if Artest can contain
Pierce, as he's done in seven of the eight quarters so far, and they keep
Walker from a scoring outburst.

Pierce, who averaged 25.9 points during the regular season, was held to 14
in Game 2 after scoring 40 in Game 1 -- 21 in the fourth quarter. That
individual drama has overshadowed Walker, who averaged 20.1 points during
the regular season.

Walker scored 22 points in Game 1 and 19 in Game 2. But he's intent on doing
most of his work on the perimeter, which enables Miller to guard him.

Walker has hit 5-of-9 3-pointers so far in the series, but given his
regular-season percentage (.323), the Pacers will continue to take their
chances with smaller defenders.

"When you put a guard on him you have an advantage, and when he goes down to
post up, you bring help and double-team him and make him kick it out,"
Thomas said.

Walker tried to post up Miller more often toward the end of Game 2 on Monday
and might continue that tactic tonight. Miller, however, doesn't believe the
physical play will detract from his offense -- a good thing for the Pacers,
since he's struggled enough on his own lately.

"I'm not a home player," Miller said after Game 2, when he hit 1-of-7
3-pointers. "I never shoot it well here."

He hasn't shot it well in the FleetCenter this season, either. He hit
3-of-21 field-goal attempts in two games, both Boston victories, including
2-of-16 3-pointers. He played well there last season, averaging 20.5 points
on 50 percent shooting, but hit just 5-of-25 shots two years ago -- 0-of-10
from 3-point range.

Still, Miller is an important piece offensively. If the Celtics continue to
respect him as a threat, O'Neal and other interior players will have more
freedom to work inside.

O'Neal has averaged 23.5 points in the first two games of the series despite
Boston's double-teaming tactics. But he believes his best games will come if
and when Miller regains some offensive magic.

"Reggie Miller's not going to go 1-for-7 from 3-point range very often,"
O'Neal said.

"That's not going to happen again in the playoffs. As soon as he starts
knocking them down, that's when I'm going to start taking over."