As the Indiana Pacers prepare to host their first NBA Finals game at home in this year’s series, we’re taking a look back at the first time Indiana hosted a Finals game: Game 3 of the 2000 NBA Finals between the Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers.
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The Pacers lost the first two games of the series, which were in Los Angeles. Indiana even failed to take advantage of Kobe Bryant playing just nine minutes due to an ankle injury.
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Kobe would miss Game 3 in Indiana and the Pacers knew this would be their best chance to win. The Pacers came out strong, winning the first quarter 23-15, largely thanks to Reggie Miller‘s seven points.
That’s what Indiana needed, for Miller to be aggressive. In the previous games’ first two quarters, Miller scored just eight points total.
Still, if the Pacers wanted to win, they needed Miller to keep his foot on the pedal. Miller would do just that, taking eight shots in the second quarter, and scoring nine more points.
At halftime, Indiana led 53-42, and Miller scored 16 points. He had scored a combined 28 points through the first two games.
The Pacers won the third quarter 26-24 as Miller continued to put the pressure on LA. He scored nine more in the period, as the Pacers took a 79-66 lead into the fourth.
The Lakers, led by Shaquille O’Neal’s seven and Ron Harper’s eight points, battled back in the final period. Miller would not hit a single shot in the fourth (0-1), but his shooting would win the game.
Miller added eight more points in the fourth as he went 8-8 from the free-throw line. Six of Miller’s free throws came in the last two minutes of the game to help seal the victory for the Pacers.
Indiana won 100-91, thanks to Miller’s 33 points. The Pacers of today will try to replicate their 2000s counterparts by securing a Game 3 victory tonight.
Game 3 starts at 8:30 PM EST.
