“I’ve been kissed harder” – Reggie Miller calls out refs reviewing Flagrant foul after Knicks guard takes Pascal Siakam out

Miles McBride committed a foul against Pascal Siakam late in the third quarter of Game 5 between the Knicks and the Pacers on Thursday. Following a missed Delon Wright attempt, the Pacers raced to the other end for a fastbreak attack. Obi Toppin set up Siakam for a layup before McBride held him back, prompting the referees to review for a flagrant foul.

Reggie Miller, who covered the game for TNT, reacted to the referees’ decision to check for a flagrant foul.

“Come on, now. I’ve been kissed harder than that. These are the playoffs now. These officials know that. … This will set playoff basketball back if they deem this a Flagrant 1.”

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After a lengthy review, crew chief Zach Zarba announced that Miles McBride did not have a “wind up” and a “follow through.” Hence, the common foul, which was the initial call, stood.

Pascal Siakam returned to make the first free throws. He missed the second one, but Jarace Walker grabbed the offensive rebound. Siakam gave Bennedict Mathurin a pass that resulted in an and-1 play. Three plays later, Ben Sheppard sunk a 24-footer to breathe life into the Pacers.

The surge late in the third quarter helped erase a 22-point lead, allowing the Pacers to trail 90-73 entering the fourth frame.

Pacers need Pascal Siakam to play well to beat Knicks

How Pascal Siakam performs has been one of the Indiana Pacers’ barometers for success in the Eastern Conference finals. In Game 1, Siakam struggled, finishing the series opener with 17 points behind 7-for-16 shooting. Although the Cameroonian didn’t have a big impact, Aaron Nesmith took over the scoring slack.

Nesmith dropped 30 points, including 18 in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter to help force overtime. T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin also stepped up to make up for Siakam’s off night.

In Games 2 and 4, when the Pacers dominated the Knicks, Pascal Siakam averaged 34.5 points. In Games 3 and 5 losses, the former All-Star averaged 16.5 PPG.

Siakam has a chance to redeem himself in Game 6 on Saturday. Following his "us against the world" comments after Game 5, he showed confidence in the Pacers' ability to bounce back and close the series.

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Michael Macasero

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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