Dear TomHa,
The Eastern Conference playoffs had been concluded and like it shares a similar story with the Western Conference finals... The top seeds had been KOed out the contest for the illustrious World Championship Title. (funny how this sounds but an american league calling itself a world contest?? Product of the Cold War I guess..) But my point does not lie entirely on the 2 respective champions of the respective conference, but it lies in the knocking out of the Pacers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Reggie Miller retired after the semi-final, after being a hall of famer without a ring within his fingers...

Reggie Miller, one of the game's best shooters along the free throw line and beyond the arc had his best chance for the shot at the title in the year 2000 but unfortunately, the year was not made for him, but rather, it signals the start of the Shaq-Kobe dynasty of a hat trick of championship rings. It was rather sad, given that he had spent almost a decade before having his best chance to lay his hands on the very much coveted trophy. But it was never meant to be. He was just born at the wrong time.

He reached his peak at a time when it was Michael Jordan's era but a he had put up a fight nonetheless as who could forget how he played Michael Jordan all around the court, scoring his career best but to only see an even better Jordan in the next few games to knock his pacers out of contention for the championship. Michael Jordan is simply the god of basketball, Reggie Miller was only a superhuman, and I do not think that a superhuman can actually contest god's will. Hence, next come his best shot in 2000, but unfortunately, Shaq got really fat and strong, while Kobe Bryant proves too much for his team's denfence. They lost.. so near yet so far again..

Sigh, this is perhaps one of the sport's greatest tragedy, that fate would bring a person so near to immortalhood to only bring him down to the deepest of abyss. Now, as his legs and heart are no longer willing to aid him in his quest for history making, he had retired and there we go... a miserable tragedy made in a person of immeasurable talent.. Goodbye, 3-points and free throws.. this is the era of power dunks and lay-ups.. elegance is no more...