Miller has good reason to think hard about making a com
eback because he went 18 seasons with the Indiana Pacers without getting a ring. The furthest the Pacers have pushed in the playoffs came in 2000 when Reggie helped carry the team to its first appearance in the NBA finals. Unfortunately it was only to meet Shaq and Kobe to square off for the title. The Lakers won the series in 6 games, bringing an end to Reggie's last solid chance at a championship push.Miller's last game was on May 19, 2005 when the Pacers lost 88-79 to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, ending the series four games to two. The whole Indianapolis crowd stood up and showered Reggie with their final praise, when he was taken out of his final game with 15.7 seconds left to play.
Miller needs to stay in retirement because he is currently 41 years old and he will be 42 by the time the season starts. Aside from the age debate, he needs to leave his career in the memory of Indiana's fans who were there to embrace him throughout his entire career. I understand that he may still be hungry for a ring but is that a good enough reason to come out of retirement? Is Boston really the team to carry him that far? Yes, the Celtics will be a contender in the East, but they are unproven and we have not seen the newly acquired "big three" play together yet. Even if the Celtics make a push and win a championship, Reggie would have hardly made an impact on that outcome.
If I was Reggie, I would have a hard time sleeping at night knowing that I could win a championship without making much of an impact, and also doing it as a sell out. Stay home Reggie, its the best for the game and it is best for your legacy.
5 comments:
I agree that Miller should not come out of retirement and play for the Celtics. As you said, the age debate is one thing. Though we have to think, would he really benefit the team and be an impact player? Sure he can get back in shape and work on his shot, but he's not the athlete he once was. When people retire, there is a reason for that and i'm sure he thought long and hard when he made that decision if it was the correct one or not.
This situation reminds of Michael Jordan and his return to the NBA with the Wizards.. except Miller doesn't have that legendaryness behind him.. So he should just enjoy what he left with.
That was a good season in 2000. I bet if the refs were not betting on games and being corrupt...a certain other team may have won. ahem. Blazers. ahem.
I agree with you. If Reggie goes and plays for the Celtics he let down his Indiana fans. Players should keep loyalty to their fans. We do not see that a lot any more. It is more about the money for the players than it seems to be about the fans. If it weren't for the fans there would be no game. Players need to show the fans the same respect the fans show them.
I also despise when teams try to buy championships as it seems the Celtics may be doing. I have seen it in two other teams, one in the MLB and one in the NBA that immediately comes to mind, and I still have yet to see their championships so maybe if this deal takes place it will not be as beneficial for the Celtics as they think it will.
I couldn’t disagree with you guys more! To say that Reggie, one of the best pure shooters in the history of the NBA couldn’t help his team is ridiculous. He has the ability and skill to fire three’s well into his fifties if he so chooses. With the big 3 banging away Reggie could sit back and pull the trigger whenever necessary. Does anyone remember when he scored 8 points in 12 seconds (or something close to this)? That’s magic baby, I would welcome him back any time.
Another factor that is rarely considered is his excellent defensive ability and leadership skills. Sure, he will have slipped down the ladder of athleticism a little bit, but he would still be among the better defenders in the league, even at 42. And his natural ability to lead would have positive effects for the Celtics.
Furthermore, who doesn’t want to see the rivalry between Reggie and that little nerd spike lee get heated up again? Although this point is not a major factor, the entertainment value would be massive.
As far as Reggie being a sell out… come on! I highly doubt he is considering this move to make money. The motivation to get a ring after such a long and glorious career without one must be excruciatingly strong. I don’t think anyone has the right to question his ethics, the guy just wants to play ball for a potentially great team and I can’t blame him for it.
Finally, to compare a Reggie comeback to the Jordan comeback is apples and oranges. Given Jordan’s legendary career, he along with all the NBA fans were expecting him to take the reigns, become the scoring champion, and lead his team to a championship. Reggie would be added as a role player to be utilized in key situations. He’s not going to be a 40 min player by any means. And with the recent acquisitions to the Celtics he isn’t even going to be third leading scorer.
I feel like the Celtics are making the right move by trying to pull Reggie out of retirement. If it’s not clear already I do have a large bias on this topic, I have been a Reggie fan my whole life. I’ve worn #31 since I was about 9 and I would love to sport it with pride again!
It is important to stay in retirement to uphold the legacy for the fans, but who are we to tell him whether or not he should contend for a ring. If I played all those years and have no ring to show for it, I would take advantage of this opportunity if it presented itself. And from the looks of it, one already has with the Celtics. I think we can all agree that there are hopes for domination with this squad, so if he has the chance to be part of that in hopes of getting a ring, why not? Now from what we have already witnessed, even the greatest player that ever lived who came out of retirement struggled. So hopefully if he decides to do this if won't blemish his legacy.
Post a Comment