It’s crunch time! The Knicks are clawing for a Game 7 while the Pacers have their eyes set on wrapping things up and punching a ticket to the NBA Finals. This entire series has felt like a rollercoaster you didn’t sign up for, but now you can’t get off. We’ve seen insane comebacks, fourth-quarter meltdowns, and just straight-up madness. But while the on-court drama is already high, Reggie Miller might’ve let his Pacers loyalty go a bit too far from the broadcast booth.

We know that the Pacers had a 3-2 lead heading into Game 6. But New York showed up in Game 6. Madison Square Garden was buzzing as the Knicks came out strong after winning Game 5 111-94. The first half was tight…OG Anunoby nailed a buzzer-beater to bring the Knicks within four at halftime, 58-54. The Knicks still have some serious tightening up to do, as those turnover woes just won’t go away. They coughed it up nine times, and with Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson shooting a combined 7-of-20. Over on the Pacers’ end, Pascal Siakam led the charge with 16 points, while Tyrese Haliburton shook off a slow start to notch eight by the half. 

Josh Hart and Aaron Nesmith, though, were both walking the foul line with three each. And in the midst of it all, while Towns continued to get picked apart on defense, one painful moment suddenly put him at the center of it all.

Somehow, Towns’ knee has become the uninvited guest in every game discussion. It first popped up in Game 3 when he was seen flexing it during the Knicks’ win. Then again, in Game 4, as things got even more dicey. Late in the fourth, Towns took a tough fall after bumping knees with Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith while contesting at the rim. He stayed in the game, but you could tell he wasn’t moving the same. The limp was noticeable, and he looked uncomfortable just running on the floor.

By Game 5, the knee issue officially hit the report. He was listed as questionable but still logged 36 minutes, dropping 24 points and snagging 13 rebounds. Now fast forward to Game 6, Towns wasn’t on the injury report. But mid-game, he hit the floor again. Cameras caught him wincing and clutching that same knee. It didn’t look good at all.

But then, Reggie Miller, calling the game for TNT, decided to stir the pot. “I think this is all for show,” he said casually on-air. And fans did not take that lightly. Twitter exploded in seconds with all kinds of criticism.

Fans want Reggie Miller fired after shocking Karl-Anthony Towns’ comment 

Knicks fans were already hanging on by a thread with this series, and then Reggie Miller just poured gasoline on the fire. One fan snapped, “F–ing hate Reggie so much,” That hate didn’t just come out of nowhere. After spending his entire 18-season career with the Pacers and earning the nickname “Knicks Killer,” Miller’s always had a rocky relationship with New Yorkers. Sure, he says he respects their honesty, but the rivalry has never died. The guy dropped an average of 18.4 points across 67 games against them and never shied away from trash talk. So this isn’t the first time Knicks fans have been ready to throw their remotes at the screen because of him.

Another fan added, “Get him off the air,” and while that didn’t happen, Reggie’s actions in this series haven’t exactly screamed ‘neutral.’ His Pacers bias has been loud and clear, but Game 6 was something else. He literally showed up to the broadcast dressed in all black like he was heading to the Knicks’ funeral. “Dressed in all black,” he said dramatically into the TNT camera while strolling through the bowels of the arena. At that point, he wasn’t even trying to hide it.

Then there was the fan who wrote, “Reggie Miller should be fired for questioning Karl-Anthony Towns’ injury. Unprofessional.” Now look, Reggie’s been a major part of TNT’s NBA crew since 2005, calling regular-season games, All-Star events, and the playoffs. And he’s not getting canned over one hot take. But takes like this keep stacking, and so will the backlash.

And it’s not even new territory. Remember Tommy Heinsohn? The former Celtics legend turned commentator was infamous for his die-hard Boston bias on-air. So this kind of commentary has always sparked drama. One fan chimed in with, “Hahahaha Reggie still mad about losing to the Knicks.” Sure, Miller had that legendary 8-points-in-9-seconds explosion in 1995, and Indiana did eliminate the Knicks that year. But people forget he also lost to them twice in the Eastern Conference Finals. So there’s definitely history here, and some fans think he’s still carrying that chip on his shoulder.

But the line that truly blew everyone’s mind came with, “I was like no way he just said that ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.” Because we all know franchise bias exists, it’s part of the game, especially when you’ve got ex-players on the mic. But saying it out loud, calling an injury fake, is what really ticked everyone off. Miller’s been riding this line all series. Even in Game 1, after Tyrese Haliburton hit the game-tying buzzer-beater, he looked right at Reggie, mimicked Miller’s iconic 1995 “choke” sign, and Reggie lit up like a proud dad. That moment went viral, too.

So, fans aren’t new to Miller’s antics. But still, indirectly calling KAT’s injury ‘fake’ just didn’t sit with everyone.