Reggie Miller was chastised for suggesting a strategy for the Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the playoffs with a win against the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in round on Tuesday night, despite Reggie Miller’s wise counsel. Miller was mocked for some of the comments he delivered late in TNT’s broadcast of the game. The Lakers were up 108-106 with 2.7 seconds left when Anthony Davis was fouled. Davis had a chance to seal the game with two free shots, but Miller pondered if the big man should make things more exciting.
Miller regarded Davis and the Lakers as facing a major decision. Miller stated that Davis making the first free throw and then purposefully missing the second would force the Pacers to take a deep shot. “If he gets the first one, you’re up three. Do you try to miss the second one on purpose, knowing that there are no timeouts and they have to go coast-to-coast? Miller posed a question. “Because if you miss it, time will begin the moment it is touched. Or do you just make them both, go up four, and it’s game over? These are the topics that teams discuss.
There was nothing to ponder about. Davis secured the Lakers’ victory by converting both free throws. Miller’s point was that making a full-court shot is nearly impossible, so why would L.A. want to chance a shot going in to send the game into OT, even if the risk was negligible? Miller, like any other announcer, has made a few major mistakes in the booth. The analysis late in Tuesday’s game was particularly disappointing, especially coming from a Hall of Fame player.