National Basketball Association

'Melo, Knicks get even with Pacers

Published May. 7, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Eighteen years later, the Pacers could have used Reggie Miller.

The guy who broke Knicks fans' hearts so many times was back in Madison Square Garden again Tuesday night, exactly 18 years after his most memorable performance. But he was working as a TNT analyst, not as a cold-blooded sharpshooter, for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

So this time there was nothing Indiana could do to stop the Knicks from evening the series at a game apiece.

Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points and broke out of his recent slump as New York pulled away in the second half for a 105-79 rout.

Anthony had gone 35 for 110 in his last four games, including 2 of 22 on 3-pointers, which inspired us to recall the worst playoff performances by great NBA players.

The occasion also reminded us of one of the great performances in NBA playoff history, when Miller scored eight points in 11 seconds to cap an incredible comeback in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Knicks' nemesis and his longtime foil, director Spike Lee, were both back at the Garden on Tuesday, Miller on TNT's broadcast and Lee in his customary courtside seat.

And Lee was trying to get under Miller's skin, as usual. And failing, as usual.

Anthony was the star of the night. He went 13 of 26 -- the first time in these playoffs he's made half his shots -- and scored 16 points during a 30-2 New York run in the second half that put the game away.

Take that, naysayers. Maybe 'Melo did deserve that one MVP vote.