Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks

by Chris Herring

After the game, Mason said he regretted throwing a pass at all, and that taking a five-second violation would have been the safer option. But that clarity came only with hindsight. Close to stepping over the line and committing a guaranteed violation, Mason hesitated but eventually passed to Anthony, feeling he had nowhere else to go with the ball. As he let go of it, Anthony still wasn’t standing upright, or in a position to catch the ball. But Miller was—and he swiftly took advantage of the mistake. The Pacers star got away with the shove to Anthony’s back; one he acknowledged during his Hall of Fame speech years later should have been called a foul. After intercepting Mason’s pass on the left wing, Miller then raced to get behind the three-point line, where he squared his shoulders to fire another triple. Anthony was to his feet by then, and tried contesting the shot. But Anthony stood just 6 feet tall, and the 6-foot-7 Miller shot over him with ease. He drained the shot. And now the score was tied at 105. The improbable sequence, which left the Garden stunned, took place in just a twelve-second span.