The 1990s saw many intense rivalries in the NBA. Teams during this period truly appeared to hate each other. One of the biggest rivalries of this era was between the Patrick Ewing-led New York Knicks and the Reggie Miller-led Indiana Pacers.
- Starks Head-Butts Miller, Ewing Goes After Starks
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From 1993 to 2000, the Pacers and Knicks met six times in the playoffs. This rivalry was intense and even, as both teams won three series in this span.
On top of playing each other six times in the playoffs, three of their matchups occurred in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks won two of those matchups, compared to the Pacers’ lone conference title in 2️000.
The rivalry started in the first round in 1993, and it started out with a bang. One of the biggest moments of the series was when Knicks guard John Starks head-butted Pacers star, Reggie Miller.
Starks Head-Butts Miller, Ewing Goes After Starks
In 1993, the New York Knicks finished with a 60-22 record, good enough to be the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Indiana Pacers, on the other hand, struggled to make the playoffs with their 41-41 record.
The Knicks were the number one seed, and the Pacers were the eighth seed. Indiana had no shot at defeating the Knicks. Right?
After the first two games, it appeared the Pacers really had no chance, as they lost the first two games in New York. The series shifted to Indiana for Game 3, and this being a best-of-five series, it meant Game 3 was a win-or-go-home for Indiana.
Game 3, like the first two games, was very physical, as most NBA games from the 1990s were. Miller and Starks were involved in a serious bout of trash-talking that eventually led to Miller catching Starks with an elbow.
Then, at the 8:42 mark in the third quarter, Starks approached Miller after he made a spinning floater over Miller, and he head-butted Reggie right on the head.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=makNdXK5oxc
What occurred next was maybe more shocking than Starks’ head-butt on Miller. Patrick Ewing stormed after Starks, pushing him and getting into his face.
Starks would be ejected from the game, and the Pacers walked away with a 116-93 victory. Starks would not be suspended for his head-butt on Miller, and he’d play in Game 4.
Starks would score 15 points on 5-11 shooting in Game 4, while his rival Miller scored 33 points on 12-20 shooting. Despite Miller’s great play, the Knicks won 109-100 to win the series.
Things were all good for the Knicks and Starks after Game 4, but after Game 3, Starks’ mother was not too happy with how Ewing treated her son.
(Starts at 6:05)
“My mother called Patrick and told him, ‘If you ever put your hands on my son again…’” Starks said. “He said, ‘Ms. Starks, if he does that again, I’m going to do the same thing.’”
Starks went on to explain what led up to his head-butt on Miller.
“I remember he kept hitting me with ‘bows. He hit me with a ‘bow, and I told the referee, and the referee said, ‘Starks, shut up and play.’ I was like, ‘OK, I can handle this.‘ I scored on him and ran up the court, and I was so mad. I wanted to take my fist and put it through his face.”
Starks would go on to play 13 years in the NBA, retiring after the 2001-02 season as a member of the Utah Jazz. He finished with career averages of 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
Starks and Ewing would never win an NBA title, despite playing together in the 1994 NBA Finals. It’s safe to say Starks never head-butted Miller again, and Starks’ mother never had to threaten Ewing again.
