“I hate them.” At some point, Reggie Miller just stopped pretending. His hatred for the New York Knicks wasn’t subtle—it was fiery and personal. Between 1993 and 2000, the Indiana Pacers and Knicks collided in the playoffs six different times. That stretch alone was enough to forge a fierce rivalry. And with Miller spending all 18 of his NBA seasons in Indiana, it was only natural for him to become emotionally invested in the feud.

And Knicks fans weren’t exactly shy about their feelings either. If anything, the animosity was mutual—and loud. That kind of energy was bound to clash with someone like Spike Lee—an outspoken, die-hard Knicks supporter with courtside seats and a sharp tongue.

Their tension simmered for years, but one moment in particular still lives rent-free in NBA history: Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. That night, Miller erupted for 25 points in the fourth quarter, single-handedly flipping the script in Indiana’s favor. And then came the moment that turned an already hostile relationship into a full-blown spectacle—Reggie stared down Spike and unleashed the infamous choking gesture, silencing Madison Square Garden and sending Knicks fans into a frenzy.

For years, that moment defined their relationship. But just last year, Spike Lee suggested he had moved on from the drama, calling it water under the bridge. It seemed like the curtain might finally close on one of the NBA’s most entertaining player-fan rivalries. But then came Reggie Miller’s latest video, and the opening line left little room for doubt.

“I live rent free in a lot of New Yorkers heads…” he declared. And while the video itself was filled with surprisingly warm exchanges—including a fan acknowledging Miller’s legendary status despite admitting he’d still chant against him—the comment may have reopened old wounds.

You might think that after all these years, the feud would be dead and buried. But then again, it wasn’t that long ago—just last year, in fact—that MSG rang out with “f*ck you Reggie” chants after a Game 2 win over the Pacers. Reggie Miller wasn’t exactly thrilled back then, and his latest remark might just reignite the tension. Now the question is, will Spike Lee respond? His deep love for New York could push him to say something, especially after extending an olive branch not too long ago.

Spike Lee’s message of peace with Reggie Miller and the Pacers legend’s response

Few rivalries in basketball history have carried the kind of flair, drama, and personal heat that Spike Lee and Reggie Miller brought to the Knicks-Pacers playoff battles. If you’ve followed the NBA through the ’90s, you know exactly how tense things got between New York and Indiana. From 1993 to 2000, the two teams collided six times in the playoffs, and each time felt like a warzone, with Lee and Miller right at the center of the chaos.

It was in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals that things truly boiled over. Picture this: Miller catches fire at Madison Square Garden, stares Lee down, and throws a choking gesture his way. That single moment wasn’t just a taunt—it became the emblem of a rivalry that refused to cool down for years.

But even the fiercest battles can evolve into mutual respect. Reflecting on the years of back-and-forth, Spike Lee recently admitted that he’s ready to move on. “There’s going to be no hostilities. That stuff is past history,” Lee said. “And I think we both regret that it came to that.”

Reggie Miller feels the same. Speaking on the Dan Patrick Show, he shared, “We will forever be linked. Now, we have put a lot of our baggage under the bridge. We have been friendly at All-Star Games and he was at when we did the All-Star luncheon for the legends. He was there. He presented an award for me, so we’ve been kind of cool.”

Turns out, even the most iconic sports feuds can make room for peace. But how long? Well, we are here to find out.