The Pacers needed some fire in Game 3, and something unexpected lit the fuse off the court and on the courtside. The cameras weren’t focused on her. The broadcasters didn’t point it out. But there was a courtside moment that felt like a jolt of electricity. And yes, it came from someone who wasn’t even in uniform. Caitlin Clark was right there, soaking in the atmosphere, and what she did next would set social media and Pacers lore on fire.

Spotted courtside at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the injured Indiana Fever star let her inner Reggie Miller fly during Quarter 2 with a bold but playful, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it gesture. She flashed the choke sign. Yes, that choke sign. The one Miller famously hit the Knicks with at MSG back in the ’94 Conference Finals.

For those new here, Reggie Miller’s choke sign wasn’t just a moment—it was the moment. Back in 1994, in front of a venomous Madison Square Garden crowd, Miller torched the Knicks in the fourth quarter, capped it off with the gesture, and carved out a permanent space in basketball meme history. It was brash, unforgettable, and unapologetically Pacers. So when Clark broke it out? It wasn’t just homage, but a statement.

And Clark, Hali’s close friend and a lifelong hooper with a flair for drama, knew exactly what she was doing. She didn’t have to score a point to steal a quarter. In the middle of the action, Clark channeled the most iconic Pacers’ energy imaginable with a smirk, a throwback, and just the right amount of petty.

Just three weeks ago, Tyrese Haliburton channeled Reggie Miller with the iconic choke sign after drilling a clutch shot to force overtime—capping off a wild 17-point comeback vs the Knicks, arguably the moment that shifted the momentum for the Pacers through the series. So maybe it’s more than just a taunt. Maybe, for the Pacers, that sign has become something else entirely: a rallying cry for pulling off the impossible. Was it for laughs? Was it for the legacy? Whatever it was, Caitlin Clark just gave Pacers fans their most Reggie-coded moment of the Finals.

Caitlin and Tyrese are the new era of the petty Pacers

But just before the halftime buzzer, that courtside moment hinted at something deeper: a passing of the torch, from one Pacers era to another. This isn’t just nostalgia. It’s starting to feel like tradition. Between Haliburton flashing the choke sign against New York and Clark throwing it down on national TV, there’s a new wave of Indiana swagger brewing… and it’s unapologetically performative. The good kind and fun kind. The kind that turns a regular Game 3 into a storytelling goldmine.

Clark and Haliburton have been vocal in their mutual support all season. But Clark’s appearance in Game 3 came while she was sidelined herself. The Fever player has now missed five games due to a quad strain she suffered on May 24 against the New York Liberty. While there was early hope for a two-week recovery, a re-evaluation over the weekend pushed her timeline back. Still, her presence was loud, without saying a word. She’s been to Pacers games. He’s shown up at Fever games. Their on-court energy might be different, but their attitude? Same page, same ink. And now, they’re rewriting what it means to represent Indiana basketball on the biggest stages.

Because Game 3 wasn’t just another night on the calendar… it was a swing game in a dead-even NBA Finals. With the series tied 1-1 and the Pacers needing to defend home court, every edge matters. Energy, presence, belief—it all counts. And for a team still proving it belongs under these brightest of lights, having a generational face like Caitlin Clark is the fuel.

It helps that both have grown into the faces of their respective franchises not by brute force, but by flair, IQ, and a little audacity. And in an NBA Finals matchup that’s had plenty of physicality but still needed a touch of personality? Clark just delivered. She didn’t need a mic drop. She had the gesture. And just like that, the Pacers found themselves a sideline spark in the most Indiana way possible. So, was it petty? Maybe. Was it perfect timing? Absolutely. Now the question is: what kind of encore is coming in Game 4?